Up Against the World
by Lyre-19
Summary: 7 years after Raz is declared dead, a boy named Demetri finds himself dreaming Raz’s memories. The mystery of Raz’s disappearance may not be what it seems. Regardless, Raz is needed to overthrow the corrupt new Grand Head. Light slash. More inside. CH13UP
1. Chapter 1

7 years after Raz is declared dead, a boy named Demetri finds himself dreaming Raz's memories. The mystery of Raz's disappearance may not be what it seems. Regardless, Raz is desperately needed to overthrow the corrupt new Grand Head.

Is it true? Is Raz truly dead, or will he somehow rise to the challenge?

Sasha behind bars? Some former campers are fugitives? Old friends turned against one another? What the hell could I be up to this time?

Hey, everybody! Lyre-19 here again!

I know I should be working on Loyalties and Where They Lie, but I've contracted writers block (what a time to get it too! Psychonauts Fanfiction Grammies start up and NOW I start getting writer's block!) and this just came to me and wouldn't go away! So, I started writing to try to clear up my writers block, and my ideas just kept growing and growing and growing, so now I've got a full plotline in my head for this, and thus a new fic is born…although I've still got writers block for Loyalties and Where They Lie (…)

So…erm…here's what I've got so far of my new ficcy thingie…I hope you like it.

Oh, yeah, a couple of warnings here; there's a strong possibility that there will be a few slash pairings in here (very mild action, kissing at most).

**Definite Pairings:** Sasha/Milla, Raz/Lili, Quentin/Phoebe, Bobby/Chloe, Nils/Elka, Clem/Crystal

**Possible-Maybe-I-Don't-Know-GAAAH-PLEASE-DON'T-HURT-ME Pairings**: Vernon/Elton, Mikhail/Maloof, Jt/Chops…maybe FredxBoyd? (hey, at least they're cannon couples)(Not that FluffleNeChakra's noncannon couples in her fic Love Works in Weird Ways don't ROCK MY SOX! The girl has some serious skillz!)(Yes, I have a terrible case of Fluffle-envy XD)

But seriously, I'm really struggling about whether or not I should attempt writing slash pairings…if anyone has an opinion they'd like to share, I'd love to hear it.

Just please, no flames. Constructive criticism, however, is welcomed.

Let the games begin!

**Chapter One**

It was a busy morning in the marketplace. Demetri walked slowly up and down the rows of the fruit vender's stall, examining the produce carefully. He paused when he found a small stack of papers. He frowned when he read the headline and sighed. The fruit vendor snorted.

He was a tall, burly man with a dark mustache and short black hair that was combed neatly to one side. He dried his hands on his green apron and set the box of apples that he had just finished rinsing on one of the tables. The vendor's name was monsieur Hale. He was a regular helper at the orphanage about a mile away; the same orphanage that Demetri lived in.

"Terrible, is it not?" Hale asked in a thick French accent, gesturing to the paper. Demetri sighed and nodded.

"I'll say." Demetri said.

"I do not like zat Lerio man at all. 'E plays dirty. 'E is calling for so many 'orrible new laws! Did you 'ear that 'e is pushing for a new law zat would basically mean zat psychic children would be taken from zer parents and raised by ze government?" Hale asked.

"Oui. It is 'orrible." Demetri spat. "Did you see ze newscast the ozer day? Psychic children everywhere are living in fear zat Lerio will steal zem from zer mozers in ze night. Zer vas zis darling little girl zat zey interviewed. She was four years old; zis adorable little Spanish girl with ze cute black curls and ze dark eyes…she tells ze newscaster zat she 'as nightmares about being taken from 'er mozer! Bless 'er little 'art!"

Hale nodded, holding a hand over his heart.

"Zey say zat it is for ze good of ze world. Zey say it is to reduce crime rates in psychics." Demetri said, rolling his eyes.

"'Elp? Zey cal zat 'elping? Zat is not 'elping! Zat is kidnapping, damn it!" Hale cried. Demetri fidgeted nervously.

"I must admit, I am a little anxious myself." Demetri said. Hale patted Demetri's shoulder lightly.

"Remember, whatever 'appens; always, ze Lord will be with you, and 'e will not abandon you. 'E will watch over you, guide you, and protect you, just as 'e will do for all of 'is children." Hale said. Demetri nodded, a slight relief coming over him.

"Besides, no one knows 'ow old you are anyway. Zer is no way to prove it. Ze law would affect everyone under ze age of 18, and no one knows your true age." Hale said.

"Oui…but zat could work in the opposite way as well. Zer is no way to prove that I'm older than 18, so I may be taken anyway." Demetri said.

"Let us not dwell on such dark sings. Ze law 'as not yet been passed." Hale said. He sighed and put a hand over his heart again.

"I wish zat monsieur Zanotto was still in office. 'E would not stand for such nonsense." Hale said. Demetri nodded.

"Oui, oui, my friend. It is a shame that he lost ze election." Demetri said. The vendor snorted.

"Oui. Zat is because Lerio plays dirty! 'E ran smear campaigns against ze honorable and respectable monsieur Zanotto! 'E is a 'orrible man, that Lerio! Somesing is very wrong with 'im winning ze elections. I say 'e is some'ow cheating." Hale said. Demetri nodded.

"Oui, I would not be surprised." Demetri said. He sighed and started putting some red apples into a bag.

"In any case, I figure zat eventually one of two sings will 'appen; 'e will be impeached, or zer will be a massive collapse of ze workings of ze government and we will fall into a world wide depression, just like back during ze world wars." Demetri said, placing the bag of apples on the scale. He reached over and started looking at the bunches of bananas.

"Both very good predictions, my friend." Hale said. He growled softly.

"With the way sings are looking, so many agents 'ave already quit the Psychonauts, and Lerio 'as just officially entered office. In ze first month, already 'undreds of agents 'ave quit; and many of zem were ze best zat ze agency 'ad to offer. After zat German agent was arrested for attempting to stage a coup last week, even more agents 'ave quit. Frankly, I wish the coup 'ad been successful." Said Hale.

"My feelings exactly." Said Demetri.

"Well, such is life." Hale sighed. "Would you like anysing else?"

"Oui. Are zer any more of your wife's wonderful spiced pears zis late in ze season?" Demetri asked. The fruit vendor let out a hearty laugh and patted Demetri on the back. He leaned over and put three jars on the table.

"'Ere. Ze last three jars. Zey are all yours." Hale said.

"Sank you. How much?" Asked Demetri. Hale waved his hands.

"No, no, no. For ze children, I give zem to you no charge. Call it a donation, since I 'ave not been able to afford to put much in ze offering plate as of late." Hale said. Demetri started to protest, but the vendor stopped him.

"No, I insist. It is no trouble. I 'ave plenty of fruit to spare. Take zat back to ze 'ome and give dear Anita my love." Hale said.

"Sank you, Monsieur Hale. I will pass on ze message." Demetri said.

"'Ave a safe trip home, Demetri. I will see you on Sunday." Hale said, shaking Demetri's hand.

"Oui! Ze ozer children look forward to 'aving you and your lovely wife over. Zey enjoy playing with your children and singing with your lovely wife and your 'elp around ze 'ome is always appreciated." Demetri said. Hale chuckled.

"Oui, ze good lord 'as blessed me with a beautiful family; zough I'm afraid zat my lovely wife will not be singing zis week." Hale said.

"Really? Why not?" Demetri asked. Hale winced and pointed to his throat.

"Ze strep throat is going around. I love 'er, but right now, she sounds like a screeching old hag, ze poor thing." Hale chuckled.

"Oh, do give 'er my regards. I 'ope she gets well soon." Demetri said.

"Sank you, Demetri." Hale said. "May ze lord watch over you and bless you."

Demetri shook hands with Hale once more and said his goodbyes before setting off back toward the orphanage. He walked faster then normal, as he was eager to get out of the cold and sit down by the fire with a nice, hot cup of Antia's famous hot chocolate.

Demetri smiled at the thought of her soft blue eyes glittering warmly as she greeted him as usual. Her long, wavy, dark brown hair fell to her waist and a cute, but modest dress adorned her petite form.

Demetri shared no stronger bond than the one he had with Anita. After all, she had saved his life. Demetri himself knew nothing of his life before Anita found him. Demetri had been a young boy, probably only a preteen when Anita found him lying in the street near death one cold winter night and brought him back to the orphanage. She and the other caretakers nursed him back to health and searched high and low for clues to Demetri's true identity and origin. No one ever came forward with information, so, naturally, with the place being an orphanage and all, the caretakers, Anita in particular, decided to take him in permanently.

Demetri never really minded that he was living in an orphanage. He rather liked it. He never had any desire to be adopted. There had been offers, but, the families had withdrawn them. He was perfectly happy at the orphanage. He never wondered what it might be like to have a mother and father when the caretakers provided the same love and attention. He never yearned for siblings, because the other children filled that position. The families that had tried to adopt him withdrew because it was obvious to them that the boy was spoken for. He already had a home and a family. The staff and fellow orphans of the orphanage were his family. Demetri belonged at the orphanage. That was his true home. He was happy there and already had a family that loved him. Then, of course, there was Anita.

Everyone guessed that Anita was about ten years older than Demetri. Since the day she found him, she took him under her wing. Immediately, Anita felt a strong bond between herself and Demetri. She was the one who had named him. She had been the most involved in helping to nurse him back to health. She was always there for him and kept a warm smile, a loving embrace, and a kind word handy at all times. She was like that with everyone…but things seemed different…stronger…between Anita and Demetri. Demetri was very special to Anita, and Anita was very special to Demetri. Anita was both a mother and an older sister to Demetri, and to Anita, Demetri was a little brother and a son. They loved each other very much. People at the orphanage joked about them a lot. After Demetri's first year there, it was obvious that he belonged in the orphanage with Anita. He was no longer up for adoption. The people at the orphanage laughed and joked that Anita and the rest of the staff had adopted him. Demetri belonged to them.

It was this love…the love he shared with Anita and everyone at the orphanage that helped Demetri deal with the darker thoughts that plagued his mind. No matter how joyful the time, they always lurked at the back of his mind. Where did he come from? Who was his family? What happened before Anita found him that got him so badly hurt? Demetri would wake up in a cold sweat from horrific nightmares involving people that he didn't know. Then, there were his powers.

It didn't take long for Demetri to realize that he had psychic powers. He had little success in training himself to employ them when he wanted and how he wanted, so he never purposely used them and very few people knew of them. Demetri had considered finding a place where someone could teach him to control his powers and how to summon them on command and how to get them to behave the way he wanted them to behave; but, to him, it was too far fetched.

Demetri didn't want to leave his home, he couldn't afford it, and, so far, a real need to hone his powers hadn't arisen, and he didn't foresee any need to hone them for future use. So, it wasn't high on his list of priorities. Right now, honing his powers was nothing but a simple thought of 'that would be nice'.

So, in short, Demetri was a simplistic, down to earth, and over all, a happy guy. He was kind to his fellow man and satisfied with his day to day life. He had his darker side, but hey, that's normal. Ignore the fact that he was a closet psychic and had no past, and Demetri was just another average Joe.

Well, he was for the seven years he'd been living with Anita in the orphanage right up until that particular day on which we've opened this story. The day he had gone out to the market to buy fruit, stopped to chat politics with Hale, and headed back to the orphanage just as he did every Thursday morning. On that particular day, the life Demetri knew was turned upside down. That day signaled the beginning of a series of events that would change the entire world.

"What happened to change Demetri?" You may be wondering. "And what change could occur in this boy that would change the world? Why is he so important? He wasn't even in the game! Damn you and your damned OC's, Lyre-19! So far, NONE of the characters in the game have been mentioned! This Demetri guy had better not be one of those damned god-mods who will save the day instead of Raz and win the girl and everyone will think he's just so damned awesome and sexy and everyone will love him and look up to him and admire him and Sasha and Milla will treat him like the son they never had and Raz will love him like a brother and shit. Holy shit! She's reading my mind! LYRE-19 MUST BE A PSYCHIC!...okay….not really scary now…kinda getting boring…and ANNOYING! KNOCK IT OFF, LYRE AND GET ON WITH THE FREAKING STORY, WILL YA?!"

Well don't get your panties in a knot! Jeez, you people are touchy! Okay…now…where was I? Oh, yes…Demetri…his importance…what happened to change him…

Well, we must rejoin Demetri on his walk home from the marketplace. There was a grocery bag full of fruit in his arms as he walked down the sidewalk. A light snow was falling, and Demetri was getting cold. He kept his mind occupied with thoughts of enjoying a mug of Anita's hot chocolate by the fireplace as he made the trek back to the orphanage.

He smiled as the orphanage came into view. Some of the children were in the front yard, all bundled up, laughing and carrying on as they played in the snow. Anita was with them. She got up from the spot where she was making snow angels with one of the little girls and helped one of the little boys put the head on his snowman. She jumped to one side to avoid a snowball thrown by one of the older boys and scooped up a handful of snow herself and flung a snowball back at him. Demetri found himself running the rest of the distance to the yard so he could join in on the fun. Anita smiled upon seeing him. She was out of breath from the fight, but her eyes danced as she laughed a breathless laugh and gave Demetri that beautiful, warm, loving, winning smile.

However, looks can be deceiving. As you of the male gender out there know, or will (hopefully) soon learn (it's an important piece of knowledge without which you stand little chance of surviving long and producing an heir), females can be quite deceptive creatures. One moment, they'll be smiling that smile at you that positively melts your heart, and the next, they'll whip out a gun and burry some lead between your eyes; but that same smile will still be on her face. We females can change our mood in a fraction of a second.

"DEMETRI! THINK FAST!" Anita cried, scooping up a handful of snow and hurling it at him.

Yeah, so, sometimes we women can just be playful and hit you with a snowball instead of a bullet. Just be thankful that we're in a good mood and don't do anything to wreck it. Remember how it could have gone and live every day like it's your last. If you have a girlfriend/wife/sister/female friend, it very well could be. Stay on your toes.

Lucky Demetri laughed and tried to scramble out of the snowball's path, but his luck turned bad fast. There was ice on the sidewalk and Demetri slipped. The bag of fruit in his arms kept him from using his arms to break his fall and Demetri hit the concrete fast and hard with a sickening crack. The fruit was dumped onto the ground. Pieces of it rolled into the street.

The laughter of the children ceased and their joy turned to worry. They all dashed over to check on Demetri. He was lying on his side, completely still on the concrete with a shocked expression.

"Oh my god! Demetri!?" Antia cried, kneeling next to the teen. Demetri grimaced and blinked. He rolled over so that he was lying on his back and gingerly brought his hand up to his head. A spatter of blood stained the sidewalk where Demetri's head had hit.

"Oh…uhn…" He muttered. He tried to push himself up into a sitting position. Deep crimson started running down his face. Anita put her hand behind his back to steady him.

"Demetri, are you alright?!" Anita asked anxiously. All the children were inquiring the same thing as they stood huddled worriedly around Demetri.

"Oui, everyone. I'm alright. I just 'ave a terrible 'eadache all of a sudden…" Demetri said, holding his head.

"Rene, go inside and fetch Jean and Dominic! Tell one of zem to call a doctor!" Anita said. One of the older girls nodded and ran inside.

"Doctor? It's just a headache, Anita. I'll just take some asprin and I'll be fine." Demetri said. Anita wiped some of the blood off of Demetri's face and showed him her bloody glove.

"What…" Demetri said. He swept his gloved hand across his cheek and it came away bloody.

"Demetri, you hit your 'ead just now, remember? I threw a snowball and you slipped trying to get away." Anita said, worried tears pricking her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Demetri!" She said, hugging him tightly. The girl soon returned with a dark haired man following behind her. His name was Dominic and he was another one of the caretakers of the orphanage. He and the girl both ran over to where Demetri was lying on the sidewalk.

"Jean is calling ze doctor. Come. Let us get 'im inside." Dominic said. He and Anita hoisted Demetri to his feet.

"Aw…no…the fruit…" Demetri sighed, taking notice of the contents of the grocery bag spread out on the ground around him. Anita and Dominic looked at one another worriedly. Demetri's French accent was suddenly gone.

"It's alright, Demetri. We will go buy more in a little while." Dominic said. Demetri paused.

"Demetri…who is…wait…t-that's my name, isn't it?" Demetri asked. Everyone was staring worriedly at the teen.

"Come. Let us get 'im out of ze cold quickly. 'E may be going into shock." Dominic said. He secured his arm around Demetri's back and slid his other arm under Demetri's knees, hoisting the teen up into his arms. He quickly got Demetri inside and laid him on the couch beside the fire. Anita rushed into the kitchen and grabbed a first aid kit, a bowl of warm water, and a washcloth. Several of the children ran off. A ten year old boy returned with a pillow for Demetri. A few moments later, a four year old boy toddled in with his blankie. He laid it over Demetri.

"Zis is my blankie, but you can use it. My blankie is warm. It will make you feel better." He said. Dominic patted the boy on the head.

"Thank you, Stephen." Demetri said softly. Another four year old, this one a girl, scampered in with a stuffed dog and set it on Demetri's chest.

"Puppy?" Demetri asked weakly. The girl nodded.

"Puppy makes me feel better when I'm ascared. Ze doctor is a little scary. Puppy will keep you safe." The little girl said.

"Thank you, Elise. I'll take good care of Puppy." Demetri said.

"Alright, little ones, I need you all to wait in ze playroom so you're not in ze way of ze doctor." Dominic said, ushering the children out of the room. Anita sat down next to Demetri and pressed the damp washcloth over his forehead. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She stroked his hair gently as his vision darkened and his eyes slid closed.

It felt like he had jumped into freezing cold water. His body went utterly rigid, his heart skipped a few beats and he couldn't breathe or move. He was floating in an endless void of black. Cold, wet hands snaked around his body and held him in place. Suddenly, a girl with big amber eyes was smiling and holding her face inches from his own. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a set of pigtails. She wore a brown and turquoise diamond-patterned vest with a pink skirt, pink socks that went up to her knees, a pair of black fingerless gloves, and black sneakers. Her smile was more of a sinister smirk, but a definite gleam of joy, laughter, and love danced just below the surface.

"When are you going to shut up and kiss me?" She asked. Before Demetri could even raise an eyebrow in confusion, the girl vanished and a short, stocky man took her place. He looked like the kind of person Demetri wanted to avoid. He wore a khaki drill instructor uniform will many decorations gleaming proudly from their place pinned to his shirt. His thick black mustache, glass eye, angry scowl, and multitude of scars, at first, made Demetri want to run away; but that feeling faded quickly. The man's scowl turned to a small smile. He pointed at Demetri.

"Get that soldier a bunk!" He said, his eyes shining with adoration. He, like the others, promptly vanished. An even shorter, stubby boy with pale blue skin took his place. The boy was wearing what appeared to be a hat made of aluminum foil atop his head along with a red jumpsuit with enormous red sneakers on his feet and a yellow bandanna around his neck. He looked a little timid, but smiled at Demetri none the less.

"Thanks Raz. Hey…this is fer helping me. M'kay…bye." He said before vanishing as well. He was replaced by two new figures. A tall, lanky boy and a petite girl. The boy had brown hair and big, buck teeth. He wore a yellow t-shirt and brown shorts. The girl had red-brown hair that she kept up in a high pony tail. She wore the same shirt as the boy along with a pink skirt. They had matching sweat bands around their foreheads and wrists. In perfect unison, the two smiled at Demetri and broke into a dance.

"Go Raz!" The boy cheered.

"We'll never give up on you, Raz!" The girl cried. They both vanished. A very tall young man in a straight jacket and an old admiral's hat stood before him now; trembling and haunched over like a frightened rabbit in front of a hungry dog. Suddenly, the straight jacket vanished. The man looked shocked for a moment, then straightened up. A clam took over him and the crazed look in his eyes vanished. He looked to Demetri with a gentle smiled.

"We won?! We won! We did it, Raz! Woo hoo!" He cried happily before vanishing. A large eyed boy with violet hair took their place. He wore a white sailor hat, a yellow t-shirt, and green jeans. He looked excited, but a little nervous.

"You have a water phobia? Me too!" He exclaimed. He disappeared and two girls appeared in his place. One was obviously of oriental decent. She wore a lot of makeup and her hair was a shade of deep plum. She wore a yellow shirt with a plad yellow and white kerchief around her neck along with a pair of shorts. The other had orange hair and wore a yellow turtleneck with brown jeans.

"You gotta pay the toll to pass." The oriental girl said.

"One arrowhead, please." The orange haired girl said. They too vanished and were replaced by a new figure. A plump, short man in a police uniform. He smiled kindly at Demetri.

"The milkman has completed his route." He said. His eyes said 'thank you'.

He vanished and was replaced by a small boy with brown curly hair. That along with the gold-brown shade of his skin hinted that he was probably of Italian decent. He wore a red and white striped shirt and a pair of red shorts. He was trembling slightly and was obviously on edge. His eyes darted around nervously.

A tall boy with sky blue skin and a huge, orange afro appeared beside him. The new figure had crooked teeth and wore a sports jersey with the sleeves ripped off and '00' printed across the front along with a pair of baggy, ripped jeans. The new figure crossed his arms and stared sinisterly at the smaller figure. The smaller figure jumped and let out a frightened squeak.

"BOBBY! AH!" He cried.

"You owe us for this week's protection service." The blue skinned figure said with a terrible lisp. A third figure materialized beside him. A purple skinned boy with enormous ears and brown hair. He grinned cruelly.

"Yeah, cough it up, Ma-loser, or you'll be coughing up bloody tears!" The purple skinned boy sneered. A fourth figure appeared beside the small, curly haired boy. He was tall and had on a big, red fur hat. The curly haired boy looked overjoyed to be in the new figure's presence.

"Bullies should pick on someone own size or larger. Preparing Nellson!" The boy in the red fur hat said in a thick Russian accent. The boy with the orange afro and the boy with the big ears were suddenly jerked into the air. Then, all four figures vanished.

A small, hunchbacked woman with messy white hair appeared. She was wearing a set of oven mitts on her hands and a polka dotted red dress. She was holding a little turtle.

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you so much! You saved Mr. Pokeylope!" She cried joyfully, hugging the little turtle.

"Now now, baby. Everythin's gonna be alright." The turtle said in a deep, low voice.

Two new figures appeared, replacing the woman and the turtle. Both were boys. They were facing each other will small smiles. One was a dark skinned boy with a green afro. The other was pale skinned and a little shorter than the other figure. He had on a cowboy outfit.

Before either could move, a girl appeared. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She kept her nose in the air as she latched onto the cowboy's arm.

"Come on, James. Come. On." She said coldly. The cowboy and the other boy stared at each other sadly, until a fourth figure appeared. A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"You need an expert in Clairvoyance, whereas I'm merely an expert in the ladies." The blonde boy said in a suggestive tone. The blonde girl jerked away from the cowboy so fast that the cowboy landed flat on his butt. The girl ran over to the blonde boy and hugged him tightly. She and the blonde boy vanished as the cowboy got up. He dusted off his jeans and turned back to the dark skinned boy with a smile.

"Ah'll be right here patrolin' th' homestead with mah main man Chops ridin' shotgun." The cowboy said.

"I'll be here guarding the kid's cabins with my main man Jt riding shotgun." The dark skinned boy said. The two of them evaporated and were replaced by a large, purple skinned man with black hair and a beard and mustache. He was standling at an art easel, painting away happily. He stood back to admire his work.

"There! At last! She is fini! And I couldn't have done it without you." The man said. He disappeared, leaving his easel behind. A small, timid looking girl with short red-brown hair now stood at the easel drawing a picture of the indigo haired boy in the sailor hat that Demetri had seen moments before. When two new figures appeared, she gasped, blushed, and vanished, leaving her picture behind. A boy with orange hair wearing a scarf around his neck and a green skinned girl wearing a pair of headphones atop her head were now in front of Demetri.

"Levitators!" The boy said.

"Firestarters!" The girl argued. They too disappeared and were replaced by a boy in a green hat. Judging by his jet black hair and shade of deeply tanned skin, Demetri guessed him to be descended from the Philippines. He, at first, appeared not to notice Demetri. He was drawing little hearts around the picture that the girl with the reddish-brown hair left behind. The boy looked up at him and, with a sharp start, concealed the picture behind his back. A light blush rose to his cheeks.

"Um…later, Raz. I'm writing down my memoirs before we all die." He said in a deep, monotonous voice before disappearing like the others.

Now, a tall, whispy woman with wild red hair sticking up in all directions stood before him. She wore a dirty white gown with paint and various other medias of graffiti staining it.

"Perhaps it's time that I retire." She said sweetly before turning away from him. She vanished and a tall, thin, pale, haggard looking man with thinning red hair took his place. He was wearing a very old leotard. The colors were faded and it was ripped, torn, and frayed in more places than he could count. A multitude of mismatched patches seemed to be the only thing holding the leotard together. The man smiled lovingly at Demetri.

"Oh, my son…I could never hate you. I love you." He said. Demetri swallowed thickly.

"Daddy?" he asked meekly. Demetri jolted as the same hands that were restraining him sprung up to seize the man. The man let out a yelp of surprise as they grabbed him, and then he and the hands vanished.

A tall, dark skinned woman took his place. The woman wore a bright, colorful dress with white, knee high boots and white gloves. Her long hair flowed freely down to her waist and her large earrings were visible behind the curtain of hair. Her bright green eyes glittered with maternal love as she smiled down at him. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"So cute!" She giggled. A tall, pale man with short black hair appeared beside her. A pair of rectangular sunglasses concealed his eyes. The woman smiled warmly at him. She unconsciously shifted a little closer to him. She was very comfortable in his presence.

"Remember, Razputin. Your talents will always set you apart from the others." The man said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Razputin?" Demetri asked softly. A sudden desperate fear washed over Demetri. The cold, wet hands wrapped themselves tighter around him. Something horrible was about to happen; Demetri knew it. But what? Demetri didn't know. All he knew was that it was bad and that he had to warn Sasha and Milla...whoever they may be….no…they were standing before him now…the man and the woman…

Two faces flashed briefly in front of Demetri's eyes, each accompanied by an insane, bone chilling, evil cackle. The first face was blue skinned. Two mismatched mechanical eyes gleamed down at him and a colorful floral printed shower cap was snuggly fitted onto his head. Demetri couldn't explain it, but he had always been wary of floral printed shower caps. Never before had they been so terrifying than that moment. The second face was pale with a broad forehead and dark, beady, clouded eyes. He had large, dry, cracked lips and messy cerulean blue hair sat atop his head.

As quickly as they had appeared, they vanished; their cackles echoing ominously through the air.

The hands moved up and covered Demetri's mouth. Demetri saw out of the corner of his eye that one of the hands was holding something just beside his head. He paled in horror. It was a gun. Suddenly, a loud bang resounded all around the dark void.

The man in the sunglasses let out a cry of pain. Vividly red blood splattered everywhere. Its color was so intense that it seemed to give off red light. The woman screamed as the man staggered backward, holding his side. Blood trickled rapidly from between his fingers and speckled the floor. Demetri struggled violently against the hands that restrained him. The hand over his mouth slipped away, unable to hold its place.

"NO! SASHA! NO!" Demetri cried. His panic surged as the man fell to his knees and coughed blood. The woman dropped down beside the man, trying desperately to find a way to help him.

The man was breathing heavily. He was quickly loosing consciousness. With a final, ragged intake of breath, the man slumped backward. The woman threw her arms under the man and caught him. He was pale, limp, and lifeless in her arms. She let out an anguished scream and held him to her chest. The same cold, wet hands that were restraining Demetri welled up from the ground and took the man from the woman's arms, dragging him under inky black water.

Cold terror raced through Demetri. It wasn't over yet. He heard the gun cock right next to his ear.

"NO! LOOK OUT!" Demetri yelled to the woman. She had barely looked up to face him before another gunshot rang out. More blood splattered the black void. The woman let out a cry of pain and her hand flew to her shoulder. Her white glove was quickly stained red. She looked up at Demetri with desperate fear. The cold, wet hands restraining him began to tighten again. A cold, wicked laugh sounded from behind Demetri.

"NOOOO!" The woman cried as Demetri was dragged back away from her. She didn't even seem to notice when the cold, wet hands snaked up around her and started to pull her under.

"RAZPUTIN!" She shrieked.

"MILLA!" Demetri screamed. He bolted awake in a cold sweat. He opened his eyes to find Anita hovering over him.

"Oh! Demetri! Sank god!" She cried, hugging him tightly.

"Anita? Where are Sasha and Milla?" Demetri asked.

"Where are who, now?" Anita asked.

"Sasha and Milla! What happened to them!?" Demetri asked.

"Demetri, 'oo are Sasha and Milla?" Anita asked. Demetri paused to think for a moment.

"I-I don't know…" Demetri stammered. He winced as he became aware of the pounding in his head. "W-what happened to me?"

"You 'it your 'ead, dearest." Anita said softly, staring at him anxiously.

"But how'd I get here?" Demetri asked.

"Dominic carried you." Anita said. Demetri took a slow, deep breath and ran his fingers through his auburn hair.

"Demetri, are you alright? You are talking very strangely…" Anita said.

"Am I?" Demetri asked. "'ow so?"

Anita stared at him for a moment.

"Never mind, turtledove. You sound normal again. It was probably just ze concussion…" Anita said.

"'ow was I talking strangely?" Demetri asked. Anita giggled softly.

"You sounded as zough you were from America for a while." Anita said. Demetri sighed.

"Antia, where DO you sink I came from?" Demetri asked. Anita sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I wish I knew, Demetri. I wish I could answer all ze questions about your past. I 'ate seeing you struggle with zem." Anita said softly.

"I 'ad anozer dream about ze 'ands coming up out of ze water…and zer were many people…ze same ones from my ozer dreams…I felt like I 'ad met zem before…I felt like I knew zem." Demetri said. Anita sighed again.

"My dear, sweet Demetri…I want to 'elp you so badly…" Anita said. She looked Demetri in the eyes.

"I 'ave been looking around…reading books, doing research…" Anita began. Demetri sighed.

"Anita, we cannot afford to see a specialist, and I don't need…" Demetri began. This time, Anita cut him off.

"Don't give me zat, Demetri. I know zat your greatest wish is to find out about your past. 'Oo in your position wouldn't want ze same?" Antia asked. "It bozers you zat you don't know. It will only get worse. We need to at least try somesing. We only 'ave one life to live, Demetri. We need to give it our all. Even if we never find out about your past, at least we would know zat we tried our 'ardest. We did our best and zat is all we could ever 'ope to do."

Demetri sighed yet again.

"What is it zat you 'ave in mind?" He asked. Anita smiled.

"It won't cost us anysing." Anita said. Demetri frowned.

"You're not suggesting what I sink you're suggesting…" Demetri said. Anita let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed Demetri's shoulders.

"Demetri, zere is a department zat will work with people 'oo can't afford ze service and need it. Zey can reduce ze cost greatly or even get ze 'elp for free depending on the case and 'ow much money in donations zey are receiving at ze time. You 'ave a real problem, Demetri! I truly sink zat zey will at least try to 'elp!" Anita said.

"Anita, in case you 'avent noticed, ze Psychonauts are not well liked people anymore. You 'ear every ozer day on ze news about protestors attacking people going in and out of ze facilities; psychic or non, agent or civilian! Communities 'ave shunned psychics more zan ever and treat zose 'oo associate with psychics just as badly! Why do you sink I 'ave just been ignoring my powers?! I fear zat if anti-psychic radicals zat run around here got wind zat I was a psychic, zey might 'urt you or one of ze ozer caretakers or, god forbid, one of ze children in an attempt to get to me! Even if zey don't know I'm psychic, if zey find out I've associated with ze Psychonauts, ze same sing could 'appen! Ze negative attention could deter people from coming 'ere! It could be ze factor zat decides wezer or not a child finds a 'ome! It is ze safety of my loved ones zat matters most! As long as I 'ave my loved ones and zey are safe, I can go on living wisout ze knowledge of my past! Sink of ze children!" Demetri said. Anita let out a frustrated growl.

"I know." She said softly. "But I 'ave already talked to someone about you and 'e was very kind! 'E was very interested in your case and very concerned. 'E sinks zat you could be provided a lot of 'elp! 'E says that 'e would 'elp you for free! 'E will pay to get you to his office and for a place for you to stay; and 'e said zat if 'e couldn't 'elp you, 'e would refer you to a top notch expert in ze Psychonauts and zat 'e would pay for it himself!" Anita said.

"You also know why I can't risk accepting zat 'elp right now." Demetri said. Anita sighed.

"I know." She said softly. "I am just so frustrated. Zer must be some way…"

Demetri's expression softened.

"I know zat you are only trying to 'elp. I really do appreciate it. I love you, Anita." Demetri said.

"I love you too, Demetri." Anita said, embracing the teen.

"Maybe someday I will know about my past; but right now, ze circumstances are against us." Demetri said. Anita nodded sadly.

"So…'ow is your 'ead?" Anita asked sheepishly.

"Empty as usual." Demetri said with a grin. Anita elbowed him playfully.

"Seriously, 'ow do you feel?" Anita asked, running her fingers through Demetri's hair.

"Seriously, my 'ead is pounding like Phoebe on 'er drums." Demetri said. Anita raised an eyebrow at him. Hell, Demetri raised an eyebrow at himself!

"'oo is Phoebe?" Anita asked.

"To be honest, I 'ave no idea. I don't know why I said zat…" Demetri said softly.

"Maybe you should try to get some more rest, Demetri. You 'ave 'ad a rough day. You'll feel better in ze morning." Anita said. Demetri nodded and sunk back against the pillows with a sigh. Anita kissed his forehead gently.

"Now, you are not to get out of bed, alright? Ze doctor ordered 24 hours of strict bedrest. 'E will come back tomorrow to check on you. If you need anysing at all, don't hesitate to call me, understand?" Anita asked.

"Yes, mozer." Demetri said sarcastically. Anita smiled and smoothed back his hair.

"Goodnight, Demetri. Sweet dreams." Anita said.

But Demetri did not have sweet dreams. He kept dreaming of the very same people he had dreamt of when he first hit his head; though he didn't tell anyone. Night after night, the dreams continued. Demetri was now keeping a secret log of them. He kept a description of each of the people in the dreams and what they did and said. Each dream was different. The people interacted in different combinations. It was because of that that Demetri was able to figure out the names of a few of them, such as the cowboy 'James' or JT as others called him. He was always seen with the boy with the dark skin and the green afro. Demetri figured out that his name was Chops and he was Canadian. The boy with the blue skin and orange afro was Bobby.

As the dreams continued, Demetri continued to add the new information into his log. He even made profiles with rough sketches of each of the people in his dreams.

One night, he had a particularly disturbing dream concerning the man in the square sunglasses and the woman in the colorful dress. In that dream, he discovered that the man in the sunglasses was named Sasha and the woman was Milla. It had been a very disturbing dream indeed.

Sasha crept carefully into the confines of the factory while Demetri and Milla watched, ready to spring into action. Demetri was in a panic. Sasha was in danger, Demetri knew it; but he didn't know what kind of danger! Before he could open his mouth to warn him, a loud bang echoed through the factory.

Demetri jolted as a gunshot rang out nearby and Sasha fell to his knees. His dark hair was tussled and his sunglasses were cracked and slipping down his nose. He was doubled over, holding his ribs. Demetri could see Sasha's eyes now. They were hazy and unfocused.

"SASHA!" Milla screamed, watching in horror as her partner started coughing blood. He was breathing heavily and struggling to stay upright and conscious. He looked up from the direction of the gunshot and fired a psiblast. A body toppled limply from the catwalks of the old factory and hit the ground with a sickening crack. Seconds later, Sasha slumped to the floor. Demetri was right behind Milla as she ran toward her wounded partner.

Suddenly, Demetri's vision flashed red and a sharp pain throbbed through his head. He was being restrained. He couldn't move at all. His captor held a strange smelling rag over his mouth and everything started to go fuzzy. Another gunshot rang out from right next to Demetri's ear and Milla let out a pained cry. She doubled over, holding her bleeding shoulder. A cruel laugh sounded from behind Demetri. Milla looked over toward him, paling in horror.

"We warned you psychics to stay out of our business! Let this be a lesson to you and all the other freaks like you; your devilry will not be tolerated in this town! The power of God is almighty! We don't need devil witchcraft to vanquish the demons who possess it! The power of god is with us! We will overcome the darkness in his holy name!" Demetri's captor shouted.

"We're not demons! We can't help having these powers! We were born with them!" Milla cried.

"Don't try to deceive me with your fake tears and pleading! God has opened my eyes to your trickery!" Demetri's captor spat. Demetri felt his captor binding his arms and legs.

"What are you doing with him!?" Milla cried, trying desperately to get up. The blood loss was too much for her and she fell back down beside Sasha. She tried to use her powers to pull Demetri away from his captor, but nothing happened.

"Wh-what?! I can't use my powers!" Milla gasped. Demetri's captor laughed.

"Try all you like, demon! A beautiful angel of God came down from heaven and told me that I was being chosen to act as a vessel to carry out God's will. She was a deity more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine with robes of white and gold, eyes the color of the perfect sky, and hair of silken gold. Her wings were snow white like a dove of peace, her skin held an ethereal glow, and a golden halo was perched atop her golden head." Demetri's captor said dreamily.

"She gifted me with a vial of holy water and instructed me to cleanse my bullets in it so that they would have to power to render your demon powers helpless!" Demetri's captor sneered. The captor hoisted Demetri up onto his shoulder roughly as though he were nothing but a sack of potatoes.

"Now, the holy water will course through you and, in the name of the Lord, it shall be as poison to your tainted flesh and you will be vanquished, foul demon!" Demetri's captor cackled. He turned and started out the door.

"NO! PLEASE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM! LET HIM GO!" Milla cried. The captor stopped and turned to face Milla.

"I will take this stray lamb of God that is overcome by Satan's malice, and sacrifice him in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Only then can his soul and the soul of my brother, Evans, the man your fellow demon just slew, be relinquished from the hands of the devil and unto the love of God." The captor said. Milla gasped.

"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! PLEASE! NO! LET HIM GO! HE'S ONLY A CHILD!" Milla sobbed.

"He is the vessel of a demon! I must destroy the vessel and free his innocent soul from the demon's grips so that he may move on to the kingdom of God!" The captor said. He turned and dashed out the door. Demetri could hear Milla's anguished screams as she fought desperately to follow them.

"NOOOO! RAZPUTIN!" She screamed.

"MILLA! SASHA! NOOO!" Demetri screamed. He jolted awake for the umpteenth time in a cold sweat and gasping for breath. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Razputin again…Raz…Razputin…" He muttered to himself. Tears were streaming down his face rapidly, and he couldn't stop them.

"Demetri, why are you yelling? Are you alright? What's wrong?" Anita asked as she ran into his room.

"I-it's nothing, Anita. J-just a bad dream." Demetri muttered. Anita shut the door behind her and locked it. She sat down on the bed next to Demetri and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's going on, Demetri?" Anita asked worriedly. "You 'ave been acting strangely ever since you 'it your 'ead last month! You 'ave started talking strangely again and you 'avent been eating much and you always look tired and you seem so distant…"

Demetri's gaze shifted guiltily to the ground.

"Anita…I'm so sorry…I didn't even realize…I'm okay, really I am…I'm sorry I've been worrying you…it's just…" Demetri said, stumbling over his words. He forced himself to stop. He took a deep, cleansing breath and took a moment to compose himself. He was still trembling slightly. He looked up at Anita.

"I-I don't quite know how or where to begin…" Demetri said.

"Begin what, Demetri?" Anita asked. "Please, don't keep sings from me, Demetri. I love you. Zat will never change. You can tell me anysing. You can talk to me about anysing."

"I know, Anita…I love you too…I'm trying to tell you…but I just honestly don't know where to begin…" Demetri said.

"Don't sink about it. Just start talking." Anita suggested. Demetri nodded and took another deep breath.

"I think I'm starting to remember who I was before you found me." Demetri said. He explained to her about his dreams and showed her the diary.

"I'm pretty sure my name was Razputin. That's what everyone in my dreams calls me." Demetri said.

"Are you sure that they're not just dreams?" Anita asked.

"The dreams I've had…they're pretty elaborately detailed. They aren't exactly reoccurring, but the same people are in them every time. I dream about this father, and in the dreams, he calls me Razputin and treats me like his son! I'm with him in the circus tent and he and I are practicing together, and I can feel a father's love! I dream of four people who I know were in great distress and I know I helped them; and I can feel their gratitude toward me! I dream about these children in the picture here and I'm at some sort of summer camp. They call me 'Raz' and treat me like I'm one of the campers; and I know that I'm among friends! I dream about the girl with the amber eyes and long brown pigtails and she's teasing me, but I can sense something so much deeper between us! I see the man with the mustache and he's yelling orders and putting me through my paces, but when I'm with him, I can feel the pride he has toward me! When I'm with the woman in the bright colored dress and we're on our way out the door and she's telling me to get my coat, I know that she loves me like I was her own child! I'm with the man in the sunglasses and we're in his lab…he teaches me, and some of the exercises are scary; but I can feel that he feels that I am just one amazement after another and even if he doesn't say it, I know that we share a special connection. I dream about the old man and I'm in a cavern filled with machines; and when I'm with him, I can feel his fondness for me; and I know that I belong there!" Demetri said.

"With those other campers…with those four people who were so grateful toward me…with that man in his lab…with that woman in the colorful clothes…with the man on the obstacle course…with that amber eyed girl…with my father in the circus…in my dreams; when I'm there with them, I know it's where I belong." Demetri said softly, tears springing to his eyes. "When I'm there with them, I know I'm home."

Anita wiped a tear from her own cheek.

"Oh, Demetri…" She whispered, pulling him close.

"I-I mean, I love everyone here at the orphanage and this is my home too…but…I don't know! I'm so confused!" Demetri sobbed softly.

"I understand, Demetri." Anita said softly. She sniffed. "I knew zat I should 'ave been more forceful…I knew zat I should have made you see ze Psychonauts!"

"I-I'm sorry, Anita…so sorry…" Demetri sobbed.

"What for?" Anita asked.

"I don't know! I'm sorry…" Demetri cried. Anita held him to her chest and rubbed his back soothingly.

"Shhh…shhh…it's alright, turtledove. It's going to be okay." Anita soothed.

Once Demetri had calmed down, she held him at arms length.

"You see now what I meant when I said zat you needed 'elp? Zis fear and confusion and pain might 'ave been avoided." Anita asked softly. Demetri nodded.

"I guess I really do need help." Demetri said softly.

"Zey can still 'elp you, you know. Will you let me call ze office now?" Anita asked. Demetri nodded.

"Okay. Yes. Call them. I can't deny anymore that it wouldn't do me good." Demetri said. Anita smiled and kissed Demetri on the forehead.

"Sank you, Demetri." Anita said softly. She told Demetri to go take a hot shower to help him feel better and told him that he should try to go back to sleep. While Demetri was in the shower, Anita locked herself in her room. She sat down on her bed and opened the drawer of her nightstand. She rummaged around in it until she found an old business card. She picked up the phone and dialed in the number on the card. She sat tense on her bed as she heard the phone began to ring. The sky was just now beginning to lighten, signaling that sunrise was coming. Still, she hoped that the office might be open.

Alas, she got the answering machine. Anita hung up and stared at the business card anxiously. There was a second number written in ink on the card. It was the home number of the man she had spoken to the first time she had called. He said that she could call him any time…but she really hated to bother him so early at home.

"I must. Zis is an emergency." She told herself quietly. She picked up the phone again and dialed in the other number. She waited tensely as the phone began to ring. On the third ring, a male voice answered.

"Bonaparte residence. This is Fred speaking." The voice said.

"Oh, 'allo, Dr. Bonaparte. Zis is Anita. I'm terribly sorry to bother you at 'ome and so early in ze morning…I'm sorry if I woke you…" Anita began sheepishly.

"Madame Anita! Oh, it's no bother at all! Don't worry, I'm up at four forty five sharp every morning to chat with the delivery man when he makes his route, so you didn't wake me. I'm very glad to hear from you." Fred said. "Has your friend Demetri had a change of heart?"

"Yes, doctor. 'E has." Anita said.

"Wonderful! I'll book you two tickets up here by train. When is a good time for you?" Fred asked.

"Two tickets?" Anita asked.

"Of course. You'll be wanting to come with him, wont you? And before you say anything, it's no bother, I assure you." Fred said.

"Oh, sank you so much, Dr. Bonaparte! You are an incredibly wonderful man!" Anita said.

"Nonsense, dear Madame. I am merely putting myself in your position and treating you the way I would hope to be treated. It is, after all, part of being a psychiatrist." Fred said.

"Your kindness is appreciated nonetheless." Anita said.

"You're quite welcome, Madame. So, when is a good time for you?" Fred asked.

"Oh, as soon as possible, doctor." Anita said.

"Very well. I thought that would be the case. There's a train leaving Masque Station at eleven this morning. Is that too soon?" Fred asked.

"Not at all, Doctor. We'll be on it." Anita said.

"Excellent. The reservations are set in your name. You leave from platform 2 at eleven and I will pick you up myself when you arrive at Marquee Station." Fred said.

"Wonderful. Sank you again so much for your kindness, Doctor Bonaparte." Anita said.

"And again, to you, I say that you are quite welcome, Madame. I very much look forward to seeing you and Demetri this afternoon." Fred said.

"And we look forward to seeing you as well. Until then, goodbye, Doctor Bonaparte." Anita said.

"Goodbye, Madame Anita." Fred said. Anita hung up the phone and immediately set to work packing her bags.

…

…..

……

……………………………………Oh yeah. It would seem that when it comes to cliffhangers, not even the strongest writer's block can deter me…sorry…and I apologize if my attempt at writing a French accent sucks.

I JUST FINISHED READING MY COPY OF HARRY POTTER #7! SQUEE!

Hemhem…sorry…….again.

There are so many questions that have been stirred up that I can't possibly fit them all into one cheesy end snippit of teasers for the super-deep-voice-guy-all-hyped-up-on-steroids-and-sugar announcer for Dragonball Z to narrate in an extremely suspenseful and exciting manor in thirty seconds. I think we all know what I'm talking about.

Inspirational Dysfunction or ID, (More commonly known as Writers Block) is a terrible disease that affects millions of people world wide every year. Its symptoms include grammatical and spelling errors, poor wording and vocabulary usage, incoherent story flow, improper punctuation, an overall poor usage of proper English and sentence/story structure, possible random humor, and, in some of the worst cases, an inability to write all together. The patient may sit for hours in front of their computer, completely motionless with their hands in home position, just staring blankly at the screen for hours while wind whistles in one ear and out the other.

Originally, this was believed to be a condition caused by Doctor Loboto temporarily borrowing brains, but this theory has been disproved. The TRUE factor that causes ID is still unknown. It affects males and females of every age and writers of every skill level and genre without discrimination and without warning. It is a very mysterious disease. Sometimes it lasts a few minutes, and sometimes for days, weeks, months, even years! ID tends to come and go; though sometimes it comes and stays. Scientists around the world have been studying ID for years, trying to figure out the cause so that they can develop a cure.

A recent breakthrough in ID technology suggests that reader reviews play a big part in the disease. ID is very prominent in those with review deficiencies. In two test groups with ID, the introduction of reviews to one test group caused significant improvements within that group.

Even with scientists world wide studying ID, so little is known about it. It effects thousands of lives all over the world every day; young and old, male and female, good writers and not so good. Every little bit counts, so please, do your part to help find a cure to writers block. Give just a few moments of your time and leave a review; and someday, your contribution may help to cure ID for good.

(snortlaugh) okay, I had way too much fun with that…

Please leave a review!


	2. Fred's Long Night

To Carcaohtar: Shorten the author's notes. Got it! Thanks so much for the input!

To Lyn: Yay! Compelling! If it's Freddy-boy you want, you've got him! This chapter is chock full of our favorite super-tall-French-chief-orderly-turned-inmate-descendent-of-Napoleon-Bonaparte! Thanks for the review!

To Fireflyoflight457: Yay! I'm tickled that you like it so far! Thanks for the review!

Well, folks, I've got two votes for 'go for slash', so slash it shall (hopefully) be. I'll do my best…

**CHAPTER TWO**

And so it was, that very morning, Anita and Demetri said farewell to the children and staff of the orphanage and climbed into the cab that took them to the train station. They were both pretty quiet throughout the train ride.

"It was very kind of Doctor Bonaparte to do all of this for us." Demetri said softly.

"I know. He was very enthusiastic about meeting you…and 'e is getting us to him in a private, first class booth on this lovely train!" Anita said.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, because I doubt we'll ever do anything like this again." Demetri chuckled. Anita chuckled too.

"Indeed." She said.

"Doctor Bonaparte sounds like a very nice man." Demetri said.

"Oh, 'e is. I learned about him on ze news. Zey were talking about 'ow 'e is a world renouned psychiatrist and 'ow 'e takes great care of each and every case 'e is faced with. Ze Psychonauts would give zeir two front teeth and a butt cheek to get him under contract; but 'e 'as refused every time 'e is asked. 'E is known to be quite the philanthropist. 'E does a lot of cases with less fortunate people who really need ze 'elp and 'e pays for zem 'imself. 'E 'as yet to give up on a case. Sometimes, ze Psychonauts send some of zeir cases to him!" Anita said.

"Money, credentials, and compassion…a rare combination indeed." Demetri said. Anita nodded.

"'E 'as a big 'eart. You know, 'e is actually a descendent of ZE Napoleon Bonaparte! 'Is inheritance is 'ow 'e acquired 'is vast fortune." Anita said. Demetri chuckled.

"I wonder if he shares Napoleon's height issues." Demetri said. Anita elbowed him.

"Demetri! Zat is not nice." She scolded gently.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Demetri said.

"Anyway, I don't know what Dr. Bonaparte looks like. When zey spoke with him on ze news, it was over ze phone." Anita explained. She snapped her fingers as a new though entered her mind.

"And, you know, 'e used to be an inmate at ze same asylum zat 'e first worked at as a chief orderly!" Anita said.

"You don't say…what an interesting man…" Demetri said. Anita nodded. Demetri and Anita noticed that the train was coming to a stop as they approached the station ahead.

"Zis is our stop." Anita said. Demetri nodded nervously. It seemed like an eternity before the train finally stopped completely. Demetri and Anita took their luggage and exited the train. They both couldn't help but gape when they saw the man holding a sign with their names on it; and they weren't the only ones staring.

Almost everyone on the platform was staring at the ridiculously tall, thin, long legged man with short brown hair. He wore a pair of black slacks and a white turtleneck with a long, black leather trench coat over it. He pushed a pair of small, delicate, rectangular silver framed glasses up further on the bridge of his nose. What intimidation the man invoked height-wise was canceled by the kindness in his face. He had very gentle dark green eyes that glittered contently. A serene, tranquil smile graced his lips and his posture was dignified, but relaxed. He looked to still be pretty young; in his late twenties or early thirties.

Demetri and Anita stared a moment at one another before approaching the man hesitantly. Demetri's heart was racing. The man looked incredibly familiar to him…He smiled down at them kindly. His smile faded quickly when he spotted Demetri. After a few moments, he blinked rapidly and shook his head. His smile returned.

"Might you two be the lovely Madame Anita and the dashing Monsieur Demetri?" He asked, his voice gentle and sweet. Demetri and Anita couldn't help but smile back.

"Zat all depends; might you be our gracious host, ze infamous Dr. Bonaparte?" Anita asked. The man smiled.

"Please, Madame. Call me Fred." The man said, bowing to her politely. Anita giggled and curtsied back. Fred extended his had to Anita to shake hands with her. Anita took his hand. He leaned over and kissed it lightly before shaking it.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Madame." Fred said.

"Ze pleasure is mine, Fred. Please, you may call me Anita." Anita said.

"Very well, Anita." Fred said with a smile. He turned to Demetri.

"And this dashing young man must be Monsieur Demetri." Fred said. He shook hands with Demetri.

"Yes sir. It is a great honor to meet you. Thank you for all your help." Demetri said.

"Don't thank me yet. We haven't even started!" Fred chuckled. "I shall greatly enjoy working with you, though."

Fred insisted on helping Anita and Demetri with their bags as they boarded a bus.

"You see, my abnormal height makes driving any sort of car rather uncomfortable and dangerous. I_ could_ get a custom built car, but it would look too much like a monster truck, so I just ride the bus. It's cheaper, less of a hassle, and better for the environment." Fred chuckled sheepishly. Anita and Demetri couldn't help but laugh as well.

"I'll bet the two of you are hungry after your long trip. I know of a lovely little café on the way home that serves the perfect warm meals for cold winter days." Fred offered.

"That sounds wonderful, thank you." Anita said. They all got off the bus at the next stop and walked half a block to a little café called 'Francesco's'. On the inside, the walls were painted with murals of beautiful blue harbors with ships out on the water. The skies held a few wispy white clouds and various ocean birds were stationed throughout the mural.

The tables and chairs were made of a dark, smooth, glossy wood, as were the floors. It almost felt like being on a ship deck looking around at the ocean.

There were only a few people in the little café. Fred pulled out a chair at a nearby table and motioned for Antia to sit. Anita curtsied politely and sat, allowing Fred to push her chair in. He and Demetri seated themselves next to her. It was only a few minutes before a waitress came and took their orders. Demetri caught Fred giving him a strange look…it was a look of sadness…but as soon as Fred realized that Demetri was looking back, he quickly looked away.

"Is something wrong, Fred?" Anita asked, having noticed the look.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just that Demetri looks remarkably like a little boy I used to know back in the states…" Fred said, smiling sadly. "He passed away some years ago. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him."

"Oh, how sad…'ow did 'e die?" Anita asked. Fred frowned slightly. There was a slight anger in his eyes.

"He was murdered by anti-psychic extremists. He didn't even live to see his fourteenth birthday." Fred said softly. Anita put a hand over her mouth.

"'Ow 'orrible!" She gasped. Fred was looking carefully into Demetri's eyes, his expression curious.

"Tell me, Demetri; that is…if you don't mind my asking…you are a psychic yourself, are you not?" Fred asked. Demetri and Anita looked at one another nervously.

"Don't worry, I have nothing against psychics. In fact, I have had many psychic friends as well as clients throughout the years. It's the Psychonauts I tend to disagree with nowadays. But, if you would rather not say, that's perfectly fine." Fred said.

"I'm not a powerful one, but I am one nonetheless. How'd you know?" Demetri asked.

"Something about your eyes and the energy you give off. It's kinda hard to explain." Fred said. There was the soft jingling of a bell as another customer walked into the café. His face was concealed behind the cover of a very large book written in an unfamiliar language. The young man had short, glossy, jet black hair and wore a pair of khaki slacks and his dark blue trench coat was buttoned up over his shirt. He wore a set of white leather gloves, and a khaki scarf was draped around his neck. Without even looking up from his book, the young man crossed the room and sat down at the bar. Fred laughed.

"Speaking of familiar faces…" Fred chuckled. "Would you please excuse me for a moment?"

Demetri and Anita excused Fred, who walked over and sat beside the young man, who had just asked the waitress for some coffee without so much as glancing up from his book.

"Well, would you look who's back from Egypt!" Fred exclaimed, patting the young man on the back. He didn't even look up from his book.

"Hello, Fred." He said in a soft, low voice.

"How was Egypt?" Fred asked. The young man turned the page in his book and still didn't look up.

"It was quite fascinating. An archeological paradise. The artifacts, the cultures, the history, the architecture…absolutely incredible." The young man said in the same soft, low tone.

"Sounds like you enjoyed yourself." Fred said.

"I did. I visited pyramids, tombs, the sphinx…I saw it all." The young man said.

"What'll your next destination be?" Fred asked.

"The Mayan ruins in the jungles that were once home to Aztec, Mixtec, and various other advanced early Indian civilizations. It should be interesting to see how the two cultures compare. Both are said to be of the most splendid architecture and are both rich in history and there plenty of artifacts to be found and natives to learn from." The young man said, still not taking his eyes off of his book.

"I thought you went to the Mayan Ruins before." Fred said. He gasped when he saw the waitress trip and the tray she carried toppled out of her hand. The young man raised his hand, still not even looking up from his book. The waitress was suspended an inch or so off of the ground, looking shocked, and the tray of food was suspended beside her. The cup of coffee was tipped over and the liquid itself was floating in the air. None of it ever touched the ground.

"I did, but only for a few days. I only got to get a glimpse of the outside of the ruins." The young man said. With a flick of the young man's wrist, the food replaced itself onto the tray and the drinks back to their glasses. The waitress was set gently back on her feet and the tray floated patiently in front of her, waiting for her to take it.

The woman stared at the young man, who STILL hadn't taken his eyes off of his book, as she took the tray from mid-air. Once she had it securely in her hands, the young man moved his raised hand to his book and moved it in a sweeping motion over the top of the page. The page turned. The waitress approached him, a little shaken, and handed him his coffee.

"Thanks for the save. Here's your coffee, sir." The waitress said.

"No problem and thank you." The young man said. Without even moving a muscle, a packet of sugar flew up from its holder in front of the young man, ripped itself open, and poured itself into his coffee. In the same fashion, a container of creamer dumped itself into his coffee, and the empty container along with the sugar packed threw themselves into the trashcan. The young man lifted his hand to brush a stray lock of hair out of his face, then rested his elbow on the bar so that his hand hovered over his coffee. He moved it in a lazy, circular motion, and the straw began to move, stirring the coffee. Fred chuckled.

"No matter how many times I see you do that, it's still so damn cool." Fred said.

"It is admittedly pretty handy at times." The young man said. STILL not looking up from his book, the young man fished a five out of his pocket and set it on the counter. He got to his feet, holding his coffee in one hand, and holding his book up in front of him with the other.

"Well, I really must be getting back home. I need to keep working on my reports." The young man said.

"Alright. It's good to see you again. Good luck with those reports." Fred said.

"It has been nice seeing you again as well, Fred. Perhaps I'll take a short break from my reports and we may have lunch together and have a real chat before I ship off to the Mayan Ruins. I'm just so busy right now." The young man said.

"That'd be great. Just give me a call when you have the time." Fred said.

"I'll be sure to do that." The young man said.

"Take care of yourself." Fred said.

"I will. I'll see you around, Fred." The young man said as he headed out the door.

"Bye." Fred called. There was a soft tinkering of bells as the door shut behind the young man.

"See you? His eyes never left that book!" Demetri chuckled. Fred chuckled too.

"He's a busy guy. He studies archeology, foreign customs, foreign language, history…all that kind of stuff. He's pretty soft spoken out in public…he keeps it short, sweet, and to the point…but get him alone, and he has some of the most incredible stories about his adventures and he tells them with such detail that you can just imagine yourself right there beside him." Fred said.

"'E IS a busy man…" Anita said. She, Fred, and Demetri enjoyed a nice hot meal in the café (which Fred definitely had a good basis for his recommendation) and boarded the next bus.

"I've made things easy for you as far as sleeping arrangements. I have prepared a wing of the Bonaparte Family Estate for you two to live in during your stay." Fred said, pointing out the window as the bus began to slow. A glorious white mansion stood proudly behind a set of magnificent stone walls. Anita and Demetri were speechless as they stared at the enormous building. Fred chuckled as he grabbed some of their luggage.

"I get that a lot." He laughed. Demetri and Anita snapped out of their stupors and blushed as they took the rest of their luggage. Fred led them up to the magnificent estate, telling them about how and when it was built.

"It is very beautiful…" Anita breathed as Fred held the door open for her and Demetri.

"Thank you." Fred said. He led them to their rooms and gave them the grand tour of the estate.

"So my office is right here next to the library." Fred explained, opening a set of double doors and beckoning them inside. The room had lush cream colored carpet and a great stone fireplace where currently, a fire was crackling pleasantly from the hearth. There were various manors of chairs and couches. Fred motioned for them to have a seat.

"This is where we will hold our sessions." Fred said, taking a seat across from them.

"Whatever time of day is good for you is when we can work." Fred said. "We could start now if you wanted to."

Demetri nodded.

"I think I'd like to do that." Demetri said.

"Alright then." Fred said, taking a clip board and a pencil off of a nearby table.

"Anita tells me that she found you badly injured on the street around seven years ago. You don't know how you got there or what happened to you or where you came from or who you were before you were found." Fred said. Demetri nodded.

"She also tells me that you've had dreams with familiar people in them. Can you describe the dreams to me and how they made you feel?" Fred asked.

"I can do one better. I have them all written down." Demetri said. He pulled a small journal out of his pocket. Fred looked pleased.

"Perfect! I was going to suggest that you keep a dream log!" Fred said. Demetri handed the little book to Fred.

"It has every dream I can remember logged in there along with profiles of all the people in the dreams; complete with sketches…though I'm not the best artist…physical descriptions, personality descriptions, and things they've done and said…and in some cases, names." Demetri explained.

"Excellent! Excellent!" Fred exclaimed. After that, he talked to Anita and Demetri individually. While one of them was talking to Fred, the other was in the library. Fred asked Demetri questions about his life at the orphanage and if he was happy. Fred asked Anita to tell him all about how she had found Demetri. The wounds he had, how he behaved…everything. She also asked her about Demetri's life at the orphanage and if she believed he was happy. By the time they called it quits, it was nine at night.

"Well, I can't do anything more until I've read through this dream log. We can resume again tomorrow morning after breakfast, if you'd like." Fred offered as he led them to their rooms.

"Sounds good to me." Demetri said.

"Alright, then. After breakfast it is. Goodnight, Anita. Goodnight, Demetri. There's a pen and paper in the drawer to the nightstand if you have another dream and wish to write it down." Fred said.

"Alright. Thank you, Fred. Goodnight." Demetri said. Fred gave them a wave farewell as they walked into their rooms and he headed back toward his. As he was walking down the halls, the phone started ringing. So, Fred did the natural thing and answered it.

It was thirty minutes later when Fred sighed as he strolled into the little bar. An urgent call had summoned him to this local bar. A friend of his, who happened to live in the apartment next door to another friend of his had called him about a half hour ago with an urgent message.

"_It's the Psychonauts, Fred. They showed up at our apartment complex again to harass Vernon. They're gone now, but I'm worried about Vernon…He went down to the bar…you know the one…and you know that that's never a good sign." _

So, Fred had gotten to the bar as soon as possible to try to help. He found Vernon in his usual seat at a table in the corner at the bar. He was wearing the same khaki slacks, dark blue trench coat, white gloves, and tan scarf as he had been wearing earlier when he had bumped into him in the café earlier that day. He also still had his nose in that same book as before.

A tall, blonde man a little older than Vernon was leaning against Vernon's table, smiling at Vernon charmingly. Vernon showed no interest toward the man. He kept his attention on his book as always.

"Whatsa matter, huh? You shy or something? Come on, cutie, I don't bite. Close-a that book and let-a me buy you a drink!" The man said with a thick Italian accent. Vernon's attention remained on the book.

"What? You don't speak-a English or something?" The man asked.

"Oh, I speak English among many other languages quite fluently. I'm just savvy enough toward your advances to know that you're looking for a decent piece of eye-candy that would be easy to get back to your room." Vernon said, his voice soft and completely unphased. Just like at the café, his eyes never even left his book. The man looked flabbergasted.

"Wha-…no, baby! I'm-a here to find-a someone special to spend-a the rest of my life with!" The man said. Vernon rolled his eyes.

"Mmm hmm. Well, I'm sorry, but you've come to the wrong guy. Keep looking. Good luck with that." Vernon said, turning the page of his book. For a brief second, the man looked embarrassed and angry, but his expression turned back to the same charming smile as before.

"How can-a either of us be sure if you won't give-a me a chance, huh?" The man asked. He snaked his arm around Vernon's shoulders. Without taking his attention from his book, Vernon removed the man's arm from around him.

"Because, my date is already here." Vernon said, gesturing toward Fred. The blonde man paled when he saw Fred towering over him.

"Oh, uh…my mistake." The man said sheepishly before scrambling off. Fred chuckled and took a seat beside Vernon.

"He was looking to get laid. That's all anyone's ever looking for when they approach me. They think they're so smooth and I'm so naïve." Vernon said. He chuckled softly. "They're just too dumb to realize I'm smarter than that."

Fred shrugged.

"Not everyone's like that." Fred said.

"Just the ones who come to me." Vernon said.

"How can you be so sure of their intentions?" Fred asked.

"I can feel their inner sleaze. It's intoxicating." Vernon said, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'll know when someone approaches me sincerely. By now, I've learned how to tell the difference. Otherwise, I won't even bother to give them the time of day. No brains, no tact, no chance." Vernon said. Fred chuckled.

"I'll have to remember that one." Fred said.

"You've seen these guys, Fred. They whisper to each other. They have a contest to see who can get laid the fastest. They think they're irresistible. They think a corny one liner pickup, a little flirting, and some corny 'prince charming' vow will work every time. They just can't comprehend why it could possibly fail. It's annoying." Vernon said. Fred chuckled softly.

"I've been there before. I'll be your 'date' tonight if it means they'll leave you alone. We can just call this our lunch get together." Fred said. He leaned back in his seat.

"Maybe you wouldn't get hit on so much if you didn't seek refuge in this gay bar every time you get really upset." Fred said. Vernon shrugged.

"I get hit on either way." Vernon said.

"Besides, this place has the best vodka around." Vernon added, taking a sip of his drink. Fred sighed.

"Vernon, you know that you don't handle your alcohol well. Remember how you got when you just had that one beer?" Fred asked. Vernon took another sip of his drink.

"No, I was too drunk to remember what I did, but I was told about it. I'm told I tend to exchange my shy, submissive persona for a more sarcastic and cynical side." Vernon said.

"I rest my case." Fred said.

"I do know that I can't handle my liquor; and as a matter of fact, I'm relying on that knowledge tonight." Vernon said bitterly.

"Getting drunk won't solve anything, Vernon. You know that. This isn't like you." Fred said. Vernon's expression darkened and he took a longer draft from his drink.

"Franke called me and told me that the Psychonauts were over at your place. She's worried about you, you know." Fred said. Vernon's expression had shifted to a full blown scowl. For the first time since he had returned from Egypt, Vernon doggy-eared the page in his book and shut it. He looked into Fred's eyes.

"I suppose she told you that I slammed the door in their faces, too. Let me tell you something, I'm not the least bit sorry about it. I'd gladly do it again; and the next time they come around my place, I won't be so polite as I was today." Vernon said. Fred chuckled.

"Hey, you don't hear me scolding you about it!" Fred laughed. Vernon smirked slightly. Fred leaned over the table and spoke a little more quietly.

"So, what'd they want this time?" Fred asked. Vernon scowled.

"Same as always. They want me to return to the force and share my work so they can take credit for it and so they can have control over me and etcetera." Vernon said. He chuckled darkly.

"They even had the gall to say that they'd _pardon_ me from my past offences and clear my record!" Vernon spat. Fred scowled.

"Oh-ho-ho! _They'll_ pardon_ you_!? That's rich!" Fred said. "Those egotistic bastards…"

"You'd better give me a sip of that…" Fred said. He took a drink of Vernon's vodka.

"Pardon you…please…they should be begging you for forgiveness!" Fred said.

"Don't worry. The dead will return to the land of the living before I return to the Psychonauts." Vernon said. His expression softened.

"It doesn't matter either way…nothing they can do would change what happened to Elton." Vernon said softly. Fred reached over the table and put his hand over Vernon's.

"I'm afraid you're right." Fred said softly. "What happened with you and him…it was really messed up. They were in the wrong. Not you and not Elton."

Vernon nodded solemnly and sighed.

"I know what you're going to say next and you're right. Even though you never met Elton, you've heard enough about him from me to know that he wouldn't like seeing me do this…drinking to forget my problems…it's not like me." Vernon said. Fred smiled and nodded. Vernon took one last small sip and pushed the drink toward Fred.

"You take the rest. I'm going to go home and make sure that I have a report that'll surpass what the Psychonauts have to the point that their team will crawl under a rock and stay there for the rest of their lives." Vernon said with a smug smirk. Fred downed the remaining half glass of vodka and patted Vernon on the back.

"That's the spirit, Vern." Fred said. Vernon smiled slightly.

"Actually, it's vodka." Vernon said. Fred chuckled.

"Come on. I'll walk back with you so the sleaze-balls don't get any brilliant ideas about following you home." Fred said. So, Fred walked Vernon back to his apartment.

"If the Psychonauts come back, call me, Vernon. I don't want you doing anything that might give them a real offense to pardon you from." Fred said. Vernon pouted slightly.

"Okay; but I will not be polite or pleasant to them if they turn up again." Vernon said.

"And I'm not saying you should be." Fred said. Vernon smirked.

"Maybe, since they've made it to where I can't get a restraining order against them, if I do something particularly nasty, they'll get a restraining order against me…" Vernon said. Fred laughed.

"Don't go there, Vernon." Fred said. Vernon pouted again.

"Killjoy." He said as he unlocked the door to his apartment.

"Goodnight, Vernon." Fred said.

"Night, Fred." Vernon said, shutting the door behind him. The next door over cracked open a little. A young woman with medium length orange hair peered out at Fred. She pushed the door open a little more. She was clad in a pair of yellow pajamas, a light green bathrobe, light blue socks, and pink slippers.

"Thank you, Fred." She said with a smile.

"No problem, Franke. Give me a call if the Psychonauts show up here again, okay? I'm afraid Vernon might do something stupid." Fred said. Franke rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll call." Franke said.

"Goodnight, Franke." Fred said as he turned to head back to his house.

"Goodnight, Fred." Franke called after him. For Fred, the walk home became very uneasy as he turned down the street where his house was located. The lights were dim and Fred could hear a car creeping along slowly behind him at a reasonable distance. Fred didn't dare look back. He kept a steady pace up to his house and dashed up the driveway, fumbling to get his keys out of his pocket. He heard the car pull up to the curb and the door open and close.

As Fred began to unlock the front door of his home, he heard the crunching of footsteps in the snow behind him. Fred whirled around quickly, delivering a swift roundhouse kick as he turned. There was a sharp cry of surprise and Fred's pursuer ducked just in time to avoid the blow. A stout man a few years older than Fred stood at the foot of the steps leading up to the door. He wore a dark blue delivery service uniform.

"What the hell, Fred? You gonna judo-toss me or something?" The man asked. Fred smiled and blushed deeply.

"Sorry, Boyd. You startled me. I usually don't have anyone following me down my street and up to my door at ten at night." Fred said. Boyd chuckled.

"Sorry I startled you. I was on my way home and our conversation was cut short this morning by that phone call you got, so I thought I'd drop by for a bit." Boyd said.

"At ten at night? You get off at four in the afternoon!" Fred said. Boyd nodded.

"I dropped by earlier, but you weren't there. I was on my way back from the store when I saw you walking down your road. I hung back because it took me a minute to realize it was you; so I followed you to your house, nearly got my head kicked off, and here we are." Boyd said.

"Is now a bad time?" Boyd asked. Fred shook his head.

"Not at all. Come on in. I'll make hot chocolate for two." Fred said.

"With milk, of course." He added teasingly. Boyd smiled.

"You know me all too well." Boyd said. Fred opened the door and the two of them sat down in the dining room. Boyd stared at Fred.

"Fred, I smell vodka…have you been drinking?" Boyd asked incredulously. Fred chuckled.

"Not exactly. I got a call from Franke earlier. Apparently, the Psychonauts are harassing Vernon again; so Vernon got caught up in old memories and went down to the bar and I went to talk to him. He and I split a glass of vodka." Fred explained.

"Oh, okay. I didn't know he was back. How'd it go?" Boyd asked.

"The same old problem with the Psychonauts. He's at home, a bit buzzed from the vodka, but safe and warm. I talked to him. He'll be fine." Fred said. Boyd nodded and smiled as Fred handed him a mug of hot chocolate. Fred chuckled as he took a seat across from Boyd at the table.

"I'll tell you though, for someone as reserved as he is, Vernon can be surprisingly scathingly cynical with a little alcohol. You should have seen the way he handled this Italian guy that was coming onto him." Fred laughed. "Vernon really told him off. He wasn't taking any shit tonight."

Boyd laughed too.

"So, how was your route today? Is that dog on 6th North Avenue still chasing you?" Fred asked. Boyd sighed.

"Yep, and today he nearly had me." Boyd chuckled.

"I say next time it comes after you, just run it over in your truck. That thing's vicious, and you know that the owners will never do anything to get it to change if they don't even care enough to keep it out of the streets." Fred said. Boyd nodded.

"Well, both the dog and its owners will think twice about messing with me from now on." Boyd chuckled darkly. Fred smiled.

"What'd you do?" Fred asked.

"I was on their front porch making a delivery and the dog came at me. I know the woman who lives in the house saw the whole thing; but, to defend myself, I broke the package I was delivering right over the beast's thick head. It ran off with its tail between its legs and the woman looked absolutely livid! Apparently, there was an ugly antique vase in that package worth a good two thousand dollars!" Boyd laughed. Fred laughed too.

"And the great part is that the lady can't do a god damned thing about it, even if she had it on tape, because it was in self defense. So, she lost her two thousand dollar butt-ugly vase, which, I think, I did her a favor by smashing, and the dog freaking peed itself running away from me." Boyd laughed.

"Very nice!" Fred said.

"It won't matter for too much longer what they do with that dog. This weekend, I'm going to pass that exam and become a real police officer!" Boyd said confidentally.

"I know you'll do it, too, Boyd. I'll be there cheering you on." Fred said. Boyd blushed slightly.

"Thanks, Fred. It means a lot." Boyd said. "So, erm…uh…What about you? How was your day?"

"Well, I picked up my latest case from the train station and I tried to catch you on your route at Francesco's Café; but I guess I missed you. That's where I ran into Vernon for the first time since he got back and he told me about his trip to Egypt." Fred said.

"How was his trip?" Boyd asked.

"As usual, he didn't say a lot and had his nose buried in a book through the entire conversation. However, he did say that he had a good time. Apparently, he's shipping off to visit the Mayan Ruins next." Fred explained. He trailed off, deep in thought.

"Did something else happen?" Boyd asked.

"Well, it's about the two people I picked up at the station this morning…the woman who called this morning and the young man she found face down in the streets near death seven years ago. She takes care of him. He's a very nice young man and by all extents right in the head. He just has amnesia. I'm trying to help him to remember what his life was before he was found seven years ago." Fred explained.

"That's definitely one of your more interesting cases." Boyd said, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Fred nodded, still deep in thought.

"Is something bothering you?" Boyd asked. Fred shuddered.

"The boy…I swear to god, he looks just like Razputin. The eyes, the hair, the face…exactly like him." Fred said. "Something about him really and truly unnerves me…"

"How so? I thought you said you liked him." Boyd said.

"I do…it's just…I've seen him give me this strange look…like he's trying to remember something…" Fred said. Boyd sighed.

"It's probably just a coincidence, Fred. Razputin was murdered years ago. We went to his funeral." Boyd said. Fred's expression changed.

"You're right…he was murdered years ago…seven years ago…and we DID go to his funeral…but his body was never actually recovered…" Fred said.

"Fred, please don't…you're going to get your hopes up and you're going to get my hopes up and in the end, we'll both just end up feeling the same hurt as if we'd lost him all over again." Boyd said. Fred wasn't listening. He eyed the dream log that was sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

"Hmmm…I wonder…." Fred murmured. "It certainly can't hurt to look…"

He picked up the journal and began to thumb through it. Boyd sighed and rolled his eyes. As much as Boyd wished Fred's optimisms were true, Razputin was dead and had been so for seven years. Well…when Fred froze, when white as a sheet, stopped breathing, and stared at the log like he had seen a ghost, Boyd began to wonder if he should take that back.

"Fred, what is it?" Boyd asked anxiously. Boyd stood worriedly, debating on whether or not to go over and give Fred a whack upside the head to bring him back to his senses. Fred slowly looked up at Boyd.

"December 2nd, 2014…I found myself in the stone courtyard of a decrepit old building in ruins. I believe that if I headed up, I would have found myself in the same, twisted, rat infested tower in which I have encountered the man with the mismatched mechanical eyes, blue skin, and the three pronged golden claw wearing the white smock and colorful floral printed shower cap. Just writing this down is bringing me to believe more and more that I may quite possibly be insane. Anyway, in the courtyard, I can see light coming from the room where my dream about the painter and the bullfights took place. Also in the courtyard, there is a cage-like elevator guarded by a short, scary British man with a prominent forehead, large, swollen lips, and dark, beady, clouded eyes. He has short cerulean blue hair and he mentioned that he was nearly blind. I didn't want to mess with him. He was verbally tormenting the tallest man I've seen in my entire life. I've heard of people being tall, thin, and lanky, but this man really took the cake. He was in a straight jacket, but I felt a lot safer going up to him than the British man. The tall man had on an admiral's hat too. It looked like he was trying to play a game of Waterloo utilizing a board drawn on the floor in chalk and using a garden gnome, a teddy bear, and a few other odd items as pieces. He was rambling to himself about a war, but two different ways. One way, he spoke English, and the other, French or with a French accent. When he spoke English, he was fluent and had no accent. He was frightened and submissive when speaking English, and very much against this 'war' he was going on about. He wanted out of the war very badly. Then, he would stand up tall and hold his head high and speak either in French, or with a French accent. When he spoke French, he was extremely confident and forceful and was all for fighting to the death in 'the war'. Oddly enough, even though I understand French and I know that he was speaking French, I couldn't understand what he was saying when he spoke French. When I went up to him, he was easily engaged into conversation. One minute, he'd be talking about the war with a French accent, and the next, he'd tell himself to shut up in English. He warned me not to listen to him because he only _thought _he was Napoleon. Like the rest of my dreams, everything suddenly went black, the tall man and I were both ensnared by the cold hands that come up out of the water, the tall man was dragged under, I saw a flash of the man with the claw and the other man whom I now know to be the British guy, laughing; then I witness the same scene of the man in the sunglasses and the woman in the brightly colored dress being shot, but, as the trend seems to be going, the actual surroundings are getting more and more vivid as are the details of the event." Fred recited shakily.

"You're shittin' me, Fred…" Boyd muttered. Fred, still dangerously pale in the face, shook his head slowly. He turned the journal so that Boyd could read it for himself.

"A-a coincidence! A seriously fucked up coincidence!" Boyd stammered.

"Coincidence my ass, Boyd! That's way too detailed! And the end part! A guy with sunglasses and a woman in a brightly colored dress being shot! He says it happens at the end of all his dreams! The day Raz was last seen, it was by Agent Sasha Nein and Agent Milla Vodello! Raz and the two of them were on a mission that day and they walked into a trap! Nein and Vodello were both shot and Vodello was the last to see Raz before the kidnapper got away with him!" Fred cried. Boyd was completely at a loss of words.

"He said he drew pictures…" Fred murmured. He flipped quickly though the book.

"Good, sweet, holy mother of god…" Fred whispered. Boyd got out of his chair and dashed over to Fred's side so he could see the book too.

"Holy shit…" Boyd muttered. On the page was a doodle of a short, plump, hunchbacked woman with messy white hair. She wore a pair of oven mitts and a red spotted dress and held a turtle in her hands. The turtle wore a little yellow crown and matching rain boots. Under the turtle, the name 'Mr. Pokeylope' was written. A few notes were written under the name.

"_The turtle talks in a deep, low voice. (God, I MUST be going out of my mind) and was once captured by the man with the claw to blackmail the woman._"

The space where the woman's name should be was left blank. There were a few notes on her as well.

"_She talks in a high, squeaky voice, she's emotional, she loves Mr. Pokeylope, she's very fast and agile, she's extremely sweet and gentle natured, but is being forced to work for the man with the claw because he's holding Mr. Pokeylope hostage." _

Fred turned the page hesitantly. There was a picture of a large man with purple skin, black hair, and a black beard and mustache. His name was left blank.

"_He is a painter obsessed with bull fights; a prisoner of art. He also has some anger management issues; but he's usually very pleasant. He was in the neon city with the pink bull. He was building a house of cards to reach the beautiful woman crying tears of rose petals in the sky. I fought four wrestlers, Eagle, Cobra, Tiger, and Dragon, to win the last four cards he needed to complete his tower. I followed him to the top to find the woman and the bull, el Odio. I fought El Odio, only to find out that the bull and the man were one in the same. The matador tried to finish him off, but I protected him and defeated the Matador. I found out that the beautiful woman, Lampita, was actually the painter's ex-girlfriend Lana. The painter used to be on a wrestling team. One day, the matador, Dingo, stole Lana away from the painter, and the painter was so upset that he lost the most important wrestling match and with it, his confidence. How it all ties together, I'm not quite sure." _

Fred turned the page to find a drawing of himself. The name was left blank.

"_He's really tall, and has some kind of split personality; one is French and very overbearing and the other speaks perfect English and is very submissive and frightened. He fights with himself constantly about some kind of war going on. The English side wants no part in the war, but the French side apparently forces him to take part. His French side verbally abuses himself. Someone named Napoleon (possible Bonaparte, since he has mentioned a defeat at Waterloo) is somehow involved._

On the next page, there were two sketches of Boyd. One with him in a security guard uniform, and one with him in a milkman uniform.

_Identical twins? The milkman has the key to the gates of the tower. The security guard is…well…not secure. He is paranoid and is constantly riddling over some wild conspiracy that I can't understand._

"Still think it's a coincidence?" Fred asked. Boyd was absolutely livid.

"I-I…I have no idea…" He breathed.

"Razputin Aquato's journal from the year he saved Whispering Rock and Thorny Towers is posted online…" Fred said. He and Boyd quickly rose from their seats and ran into Fred's library where a computer was located. It wasn't long at all before Fred found the page. He looked at the original handwriting and compared it to that of Demetri's.

"It looks the same to me!" Boyd said. Fred found the section of Raz's journal where he described first entering the courtyard and seeing Fred and Crispin.

"The writing style is pretty much the same too. The only thing different about it is that Demetri has a more adult vocabulary, which should be the case since Raz wrote this nine years ago!" Fred said.

"Fred…do you really think…." Boyd began.

"Only one way to find out." Fred said. He and Boyd began reading every little detail of the journal from the first entry. They made their own profiles of each person mentioned, they made timelines, they meticulously scrutinized every minute detail of every page. They were up all night in the library researching this, that and the other.

By the time four forty five rolled around, Fred's alarm was going off in his room and Body's boss was wondering where the hell Boyd was. Both Fred and Boyd were still in the library pouring over photos and articles and matching things up.

"He looks exactly like Raz and everything matches up, Boyd! We've given a name and fitting description to every single one of the people he's seen in his dreams! His sketches and personality descriptions match up perfectly with the profile of someone who knew him back then!" Fred said.

"I know…I know…I just can't believe it…Fred, the Psychonauts said it…Raz is dead…what if this is just some kind of prank or something? There has to be a way to explain it!" Boyd said.

"You and your fucking conspiracies, Boyd! He is Raz! THAT explains it!" Fred cried.

"I'm not trying to go all conspiracy happy here, Fred! I'm just trying to be logical and rational here!" Boyd said. "This kid could be Raz; but there's just as big a possibility that he's not. Something else entirely might be going on! I don't want us to get our hopes up only to have them shot down. It'd be like loosing him all over again!"

Fred sighed.

"Then what further evidence would you need to prove that this kid is without a doubt Razputin D'artagan Aquato?" Fred asked.

"Something about this isn't right, Fred. I think we need to call in some help. I think we need to run a blood test and we need someone who can go right into his mind where the absolute truth can be found." Boyd said.

"So you want me to call in the Psychonauts?" Fred asked, caught between anger and defeat.

"What about the Hedgemouse's? They're Psychonauts. You're friends with them, and they used to know Raz! Hell, this kid had pictures and descriptions of both of them in this book! Ask them to help us!" Boyd said. Fred thought it over carefully.

"It couldn't hurt...we'd have undisputed proof…" Fred said. He picked up the phone.

"I'm calling them." Fred said.

"Hello, Quentin? It's Fred. Fred Bonaparte. I know it's really early, I'm so sorry, but this is extremely urgent. No, Phoebe, no one's dying! I said I was sorry! I really really need you guys right now! Just please come to my place as soon as possible! Thanks Quentin. Bye." Fred said. Fred hung up the phone and sunk back into his chair with a sigh.

"They'll be here in two hours. Come on. Let's go get cleaned up and get breakfast ready." Fred said.

"Aw, shit! I'm late for work!" Boyd cried.

"Yeah, and you're not going today because you're sick." Fred said. "Now go get cleaned up! Come on!"

Two hours later, Fred and Boyd were down in the kitchen preparing to make breakfast when Phoebe and Quentin Hedgemouse arrived. Fred threw open the door and pulled the two inside.

"Thank god you're here!" Fred sighed.

"Fred, what the hell is going on here that you dragged us out of bed at some ungodly hour!?" Phoebe hissed.

"Now, honey, please calm down. If Fred didn't have a true problem on his hands, he wouldn't have called us." Quentin said. Wrapping an arm around Phoebe's waist.

"So, let's hear it then." Phoebe said. Fred and Boyd sat the two down in the dining room and explained everything to them, showing them timelines, profiles, charts, and pictures.

"It all matches up. I need you two to go into this kid's mind and find out if he's nuts, or if he's fucking with us, or if he's really Raz or what!" Fred said. Phoebe and Quentin were speechless.

"Is that a good enough reason for you to spare my life for waking you up?" Fred asked. Phoebe nodded dumbly. There were soft voices approaching the dining room.

"That's probably them now!" Boyd said.

"Okay, everybody! Just act natural! We're going to have breakfast, then calmly figure out what's going on. Quentin, Phoebe, you know what to do, and for the love of god, Boyd, just don't speak!" Fred said. He and Boyd got up and started getting out pots and pans so that they could begin cooking. Demetri and Anita walked in a few moments later. Quentin and Phoebe looked as though they might pass out when they caught sight of Demetri.

"Good morning, Anita. Good morning, Demetri." Fred said cheerfully. "I hope your rooms were comfortable."

"Yes, very. Thank you." Demetri said.

"I'd like to introduce you to my friends." Fred said. He pointed to Boyd.

"This is Boyd. He's the delivery man and was one of my earliest charges as an orderly; obviously he's much more sane today." Fred teased. Boyd stuck his tongue out at Fred.

"Look who's talking!" Boyd chuckled. He walked away from the stove and bowed to Anita. He hissed her had before shaking it.

"Boyd Cooper at your service. It's a pleasure, Madame." Boyd said. He also shook hands with Demetri.

"And Demetri. Pleased to meet you." Boyd said.

"It's nice to meet you too." Demetri said. Boyd returned to helping Fred get the cooking utensils out.

"Then the two over there at the table are Mr. and Mrs. Hedgemouse." Fred said. "They are actually Psychonauts. They are two of the agency's leading psychiatrists."

"Hey, we learned from the master, Professor Bonaparte." Quentin said. He stood and shook hands with both Demetri and Anita.

"I'm Quentin. Pleased to meet you." Quentin said.

"And I'm his wife, Phoebe." Phoebe said, also shaking hands with Demetri and Anita. Demetri felt very odd around these people. He recognized them from his dreams. He desperately wished he had his dream log so he could look back and find the pictures he had drawn and the information he had on them. Demetri, Anita, Quentin, and Phoebe all sat down at the table.

"Say, Demetri…has anyone ever told you that you look exactly like that kid…oh…what was his name…he died seven years ago…he was the youngest in the entire agency…" Quentin said thoughtfully.

"Razputin?" Phoebe asked. She and Quentin were carefully gauging Demetri's reactions.

"Yeah! That's him!" Quentin said. Demetri shook his head slowly.

"The poor kid…he was murdered at age 12 on a mission with agent Sasha Nein and agent Milla Vodello." Phoebe said. Quentin shuddered.

"It was a horrible tragedy. They walked right into a trap in this old warehouse. Agent Nein was shot in the chest and Agent Vodello in the shoulder. Razputin was grabbed from behind and drugged. The bullets that hit Nein and Vodello were doused in a chemical compound that rendered their powers useless. Vodello was the last to see Razputin alive. She watched their attacker carry him off. When the agency caught up with the kidnapper, the guy said that he had already sacrificed Razputin in the name of the holy trinity to save his soul. They found enough of Razputin's blood on the scene to back the claim up. The poor boy's body was never found." Quentin said. Demetri was very quiet. He had grown pale and wide eyed. Anita hadn't noticed.

"'Ow 'orrible!" Anita said.

"So, Demetri, did you have any more of those dreams last night?" Fred asked. Demetri nodded.

"I wrote them down." He said, shifting anxiously in his seat.

"Is something wrong?" Fred asked. Demetri shrugged.

"This is going to sound weird…but…one of the people in my dreams looks just you're your friend Mr. Boyd…he's been in my dreams since before I even met you." Demetri began.

"Yes, I read about him in your log." Fred said.

"I had a dream about him last night." Demetri said.

"Would you like to go ahead and tell me about it? Phoebe and Quentin are amnesia specialists. They are here to help me work with you. And you can just ignore Boyd." Fred teased.

"Hell yeah. I'm just here for the food." Body chuckled.

" Okay…I was wandering around on the beach of a small island surrounded by water. It was dark. I climbed up the cliff face that jutted up from the beach to find a stone wall blocking my path. Beyond the gate was a decrepit old building in ruins. It was very creepy, but something told me that it was where I needed to go. The only way past the stone wall was a tall gate, but that gate was locked and guarded by a stout security guard and about a dozen crows. Something was amiss with the guard. He trembled and twitched and rambled on incoherently about some grand conspiracy involving various ludicrous parties such as cows and the government and the toy making industry; and he had drawn images of his own bizarre ramblings all over every usable surface in chalk. I think the man suffered from some kind of paranoia. When I asked him if he'd let me in, he said that he couldn't. He said that the milkman was the only one with the key. As you saw in my log, I believe this 'milkman' may be his identical twin brother." Demetri said. No one could stop themselves from gaping at the young man.

"You're shitin' me…" Boyd muttered. Fred, still dangerously pale in the face, shook his head.

"What, did I say something wrong?" Demetri asked hesitantly, seeing all the eyes fixed on him.

"No, Demetri. Not at all." Quentin said. Phoebe put a hand on Demetri's shoulder.

"Demetri, you feel like you've met us somewhere before, don't you?" She asked. Demetri froze and stared at her.

"Do we remind you of some of the people from your dreams?" Quentin asked. Demetri swallowed thickly and nodded hesitantly.

"Yes. You remind me of the boy who played the turntables and the girl who played the drums. They were always arguing over what they should name their band." Demetri said hesitantly.

"Th-they were arguing between the Levitators and the Firestarters…" Demetri said. Quentin and Phoebe did their best not to show how unnerved they were about Demetri's statement.

"Which did you prefer, Demetri?" Quentin asked in a friendly tone. Demetri blushed slightly and twiddled his thumbs.

"Well, for some reason…the name 'The Whispering Rockers' kept coming to my mind." Demetri said. Quentin and Phoebe suppressed the urge to shudder.

"That's a pretty cool name. What made you think of it?" Phoebe asked.

"I-I'm not really sure…" Demetri said. Phoebe, Quentin, Boyd, and Fred looked back and forth between each other. Quentin nodded and Fred took the file off of the counter and sat down next to Demetri. Fred took a pair of photographs and set them on the table in front of Demetri.

"Demetri, do these people look familiar?" Fred asked. Demetri paled dramatically as he studied the pictures. He nodded faintly.

"Th-there's the man who captured Mr. Pokeylope…a-and the blind British man…and the man from the circus who calls me his son…" Demetri whispered. Fred walked across the kitchen and pulled a picture off of the wall. Demetri blinked and rubbed his eyes. He was trembling slightly.

"Oh my god…the painter…the actress…and the sweet lady who owns Mr. Pokeylope…" Demetri muttered. "a-and the other two…"

He looked up at Boyd and Fred, his eyes wide.

"Fred and I the day we were rescued from Thorny Towers along with the rest of the people in that picture." Boyd said. Demetri put a hand to his own forehead.

"I-I must be dreaming again…" He murmured.

"You're not dreaming, Demetri." Fred said.

"There's more." Boyd said. Fred took a group photograph out of the file that was labeled 'Cadets of Whispering Rock Summer Camp, 2005' and placed it on the table in front of Demetri. Demetri gasped and covered his eyes.

"Oh my god…oh my god…" He groaned. He peeked out from behind his hands and began to study the photo more closely.

"Th-that's them…the people from my dreams…" Demetri whispered, tracing over each of the faces until he found one that didn't belong. A young boy with vibrant green eyes. He wore an old fashioned aviator's helmet with a pair of red goggles perched atop his head. A few locks of auburn hair poked out from under the helmet. He wore a black leather jacket with a green sweater under it along with black leather gloves, pants, and boots. Anita gasped when she saw it.

"Oh my god…zat…zat is…" She whispered.

"You!" She cried.

"Razputin..." Demetri breathed at the same time Anita spoke. Demetri looked to Fred. Anita looked back and forth between the photograph, Demetri, and Fred, Boyd, Quentin, and Phoebe.

"That boy…his name is Razputin, isn't it?" Demetri asked. Fred nodded, trying hard to keep his expression neutral.

"Ze boy 'oo was murdered seven years ago…'is name was Razputin…ze way 'e was murdered…it matched Demetri's dream…" Anita stammered.

"That boy in the picture is Razputin…in my dreams, everyone calls me Razputin…That boy is me…I am that boy…he is Razputin…that would mean…A-am…am I Razputin? " Demetri asked. "Are we…the boy in this picture…Razputin and I one and the same?"

Tears were shining in Fred's eyes.

"We believe so." Fred said, his voice cracking. Anita and Demetri stared at one another.

"Oh my god…" Anita whispered. She looked away from the shell-shocked Demetri to Fred.

"S-so…what now?" Anita asked.

"What is 'is last name? 'Oo are his family? Where did 'e come from? 'Ow does 'e know you?" Anita asked. Fred held up his hand to silence her and gestured toward Quentin and Phoebe.

"We can't be 100 positive of his identity until we've performed a psyche check on him…with his consent, of course." Phoebe said.

"A psyche check is completely safe and completely painless. During the procedure, either Phoebe or I will project our psyche into his own and look for repressed memories and other evidence that could point us toward his true identity. As long as you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about." Quentin said. Demetri and Anita looked to each other. A brief exchange of an unspoken conversation passed between them and they both nodded.

"Alright…" Demetri said. "I consent."

Quentin smiled warmly.

"Well then, I'll let you have some breakfast and we can get started." Quentin said. Demetri shook his head. He chuckled softly.

"I don't think I could eat anything now…maybe we should just go ahead and get it over with now…" Demetri said. Quentin smiled.

"I can't say I blame you." Quentin chuckled. "Alright. We'll start now."

Quentin turned to Phoebe. She motioned for him to go ahead.

"You probably know him better than I do. I'll stay here on the outside." She said. Quentin nodded and pulled a small, rectangular door out of his pocket. It was decorated with a blue, black, grey and white collage of what looked like scenes from jazz music bars. A silver Psychonauts logo gleamed from the center of the door and the knob was silver as well.

Quentin pulled up a chair and sat down so that he and Demetri were facing one another.

"Just relax, Demetri. This won't hurt a bit." Quentin said. He found himself, for a brief moment, locking eyes with Demetri.

"Unless something really very bad happens." Demetri said innocently. At first, Quentin was surprised, but he just smiled back at Demetri.

"But nothing like that will happen. I've been on the force since the day I turned eighteen. I know what I'm doing." Quentin said. Demetri swallowed and nodded. Quentin placed the little door in the center of Demetri's forehead and closed his eyes. Demetri's eyes began to glaze as the door began to tremor. A bright white light shone from behind the doorway. A few seconds later, it burst open and the light seemed to wrap itself around Quentin. Quentin's body fell into a relaxed position and a faint outline of his figure could be seen being pulled seemingly out of his body by the light and toward the doorway. Soon, the figure vanished into the doorway; but it didn't close. The doorway remained open. Phoebe was immediately on alert.

Tense seconds ticked by and the door remained open. Phoebe slowly began to rise from her chair, her eyes fixed on the door. Something was wrong.

Suddenly, the white light from the doorway began to shift to grey. It continued to darken as more seconds ticked by. The door began to tremor again. The tremors grew more violent and the light grew blacker with every second that passed. Everyone jumped as a loud bang shook the kitchen and the black light flashed with blinding intensity. There was a sharp crash and a clatter as everyone's eyes started to adjust back to normal. The light was gone and the door was lying shut and harmless on the floor…right next to Demetri's prone body. A few feet away, Quentin's chair had tipped over backward and Quentin was lying limp and still on the floor a considerable distance from his overturned chair.

Anita shrieked and dropped down beside Demetri. Phoebe cried out and dashed to Quentin's side.

"What just happened?!" Boyd cried, kneeling next to Demetri. Fred knelt down next to Quentin.

Phoebe shifted Quentin so that he was lying flat on his back. She checked his pulse and breathing.

Demetri stirred and groaned softly. He pushed himself up onto his elbows. He gasped when he caught sight of Quentin.

"D-did I do that?!" Demetri asked. Phoebe lifted Quentin's head onto her lap and put her index and middle fingers to Quentin's temples. She touched her forehead to his and closed her eyes.

"Quentin? Quentin, can you hear me?" She asked.

"Demetri, are you alright?" Fred called. Demetri nodded.

"I'm fine…what about him?" Demetri asked, gesturing to Quentin. Phoebe cursed softly. Quentin wasn't responding.

"Come on. There's a spare bedroom just down the hall…" Fred said. Phoebe nodded and slid her arms under Quentin's while Fred got Quentin's legs. Anita and Boyd helped Demetri to his feet and supported him down the hall after Phoebe and Fred.

Phoebe and Fred laid Quentin down on the bed in the nearest bedroom.

"Fred, would you please go get my bag?" Phoebe asked, checking Quentin over. Fred nodded and dashed out of the room.

"Have Demetri sit down for a while." Fred said as he ran past Boyd, Anita, and Demetri. Boyd and Anita helped Demetri into an armchair in the bedroom. A few moments later, Fred reappeared with Phoebe's bag. Phoebe used various strange instruments to take Quentin's vital signs. After about twenty minutes, she sighed and sat down beside Quentin on the bed.

"He's been knocked back deep into his own psyche…I'm probably going to have to go in after him…" Phoebe said. She pulled a little door out of her pocket. This one also had the Psychonauts emblem and was decorated with scenes from rock and roll concerts.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Fred asked.

"It's the only option we have. We can't take him back to a specialist at HQ or we'd have to tell them what we were doing; and this is something that the Psychonauts are better off not knowing about." Phoebe said.

"Alright. Just be careful." Fred said. Phoebe placed her door in the center of Quentin's forehead and with a brief flash of light, she was in a relaxed position with her eyes closed.

"What happened? Is he going to be alright?" Demetri asked. Fred turned to Demetri.

"We should have expected this…Quentin couldn't get through your defenses. You instinctively resisted him and ejected his psyche from your own. You blasted Quentin's psyche right back into his own head. The reaction was so forceful that he was pushed back deeply into his own psyche, therefore resulting in a state of deep unconsciousness." Fred explained.

"Oh no…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to…" Demetri said.

"Don't blame yourself. It was instinctive. He'll be alright. As soon as Phoebe can find him and get him back into the more familiar areas of his psyche, he'll regain consciousness." Fred explained.

"What about you? Are you alright?" Fred asked. Demetri nodded.

"Come. Let's give Phoebe some space. You should probably lie down for a little while yourself…" Fred said.

An hour later, Phoebe called to everyone. They all rushed into the room. She was leaning over Quentin. He began to stir lightly. With a soft moan, his eyes fluttered open.

"Uhn…Phoebs?" He asked groggily. Phoebe let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank god." She said. Quentin winced.

"His defenses…I forgot…coach was right…armored like a tank…" Quentin murmured, bringing a hand up to his aching head.

"I'm so sorry…are you alright?" Demetri asked. Quentin nodded.

"'S okay. I should have known better. It wasn't your fault. It was instinctive. I'm fine." Quentin assured him.

"Fine my ass." Phoebe muttered.

"You're pretty fine yourself, baby." Quentin muttered teasingly. Phoebe smacked him on the shoulder playfully.

"You know what I mean. I'll bet you have a massive migraine right about now." Phoebe said. Quentin shrugged.

"I won't deny that." Quentin said. A pang of concern shot through Demetri. Quentin sensed it.

"But I'll be fine with a little rest, don't worry. No hard feelings, no real damage." Quentin assured him.

"Stay here and rest as long as you need to, Quentin." Fred said.

"Thanks, Fred." Quentin said. Phoebe sighed and lifted Quentin's head into her lap. She stroked his hair lovingly, her expression thoughtful.

"So, what now? If you couldn't break through his defenses, I certainly won't be able to." Phoebe said. "How are we supposed to conduct a psyche check on him now?"

Quentin lay with his eyes closed.

"We need someone who's closer to him…someone who knows him better than we do…someone who has a deeper bond with him…" Quentin said.

"Surely, you can't be thinking about involving…" Phoebe said. Quentin looked up at her.

"She's the best candidate. Everyone else with a closer bond with him would either freak out or is…er…unavailable..." Quentin said.

"And she won't?" Phoebe asked sarcastically.

"Well, she's the least likely…" Quentin said. "She'd be the most rational."

Phoebe sighed.

"I guess you're right." Phoebe said.

"Now, the real question is…how the hell are we going to put this to her?" Quentin asked.

Despite Quentin still being weak from attempting to enter Demetri's psyche earlier, Quentin insisted that he and Phoebe couldn't spend the night and had to leave no later than five o'clock that afternoon. They had a plan to help Demetri, and they needed to get started right away. All Demetri knew was that Quentin and Phoebe would be returning in the morning with someone else to help them.

Demetri was incredibly nervous. So much had happened in the past few hours. So much progress had been made. The rising sun tomorrow morning might at last shed light on Demetri's true identity.

Could Demetri really be Raz; or could it be that, despite the evidence, he is not? Perhaps something the likes of which has never been known is occurring in Demetri. Who could the 'she' that Quentin is referring to be? Find out in the next exciting action packed update of Going Up Against the World!!

The following is a message from Lyre-19:

No flames, if you please, no need to act obscene

Otherwise, I'd really appreciate a review

Oh, and, Psychonauts ain't mine; I said it, so you no sue!

Now this little poem must end, like all poems do

So for reading my works, I say THANK YOU!

Also, an apology to you, my friends, from me

I'm sorry for exposing you to my awful poetry!

XD XD XD!

(Sorry!)


	3. Meet the Rebels

To Fireflyoflight457: Maaaaabey….thanks for the review! It sure was fast! I posted and like ten minutes later, there was a new review XD!

To Lyn: I love Phoebe and Quentin and Fred…aw, hell! I love ALL the characters! XP yeah, it wasn't until I actually posted chapter two that I saw how vast that paragraph was! The paragraphs are always shorter looking once you post them, but I overestimated the change on that one. And 'Her' is coming my friend. Yes. Very soon 'Her' will reveal herself. MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

To Carcaohtar: XD! I sure wouldn't object to a fav! I know I love_ your _work! I was really afraid that Demetri would come off the wrong way myself, and, to be honest, this plotline is really starting to grow on me…dun tell nobodies…it might upset my other brain-children 'Holding Our Ground Against Doom' and 'Loyalties and Where They Lie'…oh, and XD! I'm willing to bet that hardly anyone on this sight TRULY knows what they're talking about…I just give them the benefit of the doubt…XD! It's like the G-men with the rifles…it LOOKS real, so dun tell nobodies…XD!

To Gogirlbm: Thanks so much for the fave! Here you go, a new chapter fresh outta my noggin!

**Chapter Three**

Demetri hardly got any sleep that night. He didn't even get enough sleep to have a dream. He was immensely relieved when his clock read six in the morning. He trudged out of bed, took a hot shower, and put on a pair of black slacks and a white turtleneck. He tugged on his black shoes and combed his auburn hair to one side. Demetri sat quietly on his bed and watched the sun rise. Just as the sun was peeking over the trees, Anita woke up. Wordlessly, she sat down beside Demetri, laying her head against his shoulder, and the two of them watched the rest of the sun rise together. Anita found herself crying softly for a few minutes. This was a bittersweet time for her.

At last, Demetri might know the answers to the questions that had plagued him for so long; but that meant that Anita would have to let him go back to his real home. Anita too took a quick shower to compose herself. She put on a long, black skirt and a white blouse, pulled on her shoes, and pulled her long brown hair back into a single braid. She grasped hands with Demetri as the two of them made their way down to breakfast. Fred greeted the two and Demetri and Anita greeted him back.

"Quentin called. He's feeling much better this morning and our guests will be arriving in half an hour. That leaves just enough time for us to have a nice hot breakfast." Fred said.

Demetri and Anita looked on curiously as Boyd walked up behind Fred.

"Mmmm…smells good!" Boyd said. Fred jumped and knocked a nearly empty bowl of pancake batter onto the floor.

"A little jumpy this morning, are we?" Boyd asked. Fred blushed furiously.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, Boyd! I didn't know you were here already!" Fred said, blushing furiously.

"It's because I have the stealth of a cat, my friend; and I daresay, you can jump like a kangaroo!" Boyd teased. Fred elbowed him playfully and picked up a rag to clean up the pancake batter. Boyd chuckled as he grabbed a second rag and helped Fred clean up.

Minutes later, they all sat down to a delicious meal of pancakes, sausage, and bacon.

"I know they say you should never trust a skinny chef, but Fred's a good cook." Boyd said as he took his plate to the sink.

"Always with the banter, Boyd." Fred chuckled. He glanced at the clock.

"Our guests should be here any moment now. Shall we go wait for them?" Fred asked. It seemed like an eternity that the four of them waited by the stairs; even though in actuality, it was only two minutes. Fred smiled as he let his guests in.

"Hey, Quentin. I'm so glad you're feeling better today; and Phoebe! You look especially lovely today." Fred said. Phoebe smiled.

"Well, today I had time to get ready." She chuckled.

"Right this way, miss." Fred said, holding the door for a third person. A beautiful young woman walked in the door. She had long brown hair that fell to her waist. She wore a pair of dark brown cargo pants with a matching trench coat over her dark green turtleneck. When her amber eyes met his vibrant green ones, they both froze. Everyone else had frozen as well as they watched the two. After a long, tense silence, the girl hesitantly took a step toward Demetri, her eyes still locked with his.

"Oh my god…i-it really is you…isn't it?" The girl breathed. She continued moving slowly toward Demetri until she was within arms reach. She came closer still, hesitantly moving her hands up to caress Demetri's face. He jolted under her touch and blinked as an image of a pair of amber eyes flashed before his eyes. He remembered a flower and those amber eyes, dull with cynicism, but with joy and affection shining just beneath. The shade matched those of the eyes of the girl standing before him now perfectly.

"L-lili?" Demetri breathed. For a reason he couldn't explain, he felt tears building in his eyes. A tear slid down the girl's face as well.

"You guys…this is him…I don't even need to enter his mind to be sure…I know it right now…I swear to god, this really is him…" The girl said, her voice breaking.

"I-I remember you…we were close…very close…you had the same name as a flower…Lili…I'm almost certain…is your name Lili?" Demetri asked. The girl didn't respond.

"I-I'm sorry…I wish I could remember more than just that…" Demetri said. The girl put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"It's alright. I'm going to help you remember everything." The girl said. She took his hand gently.

"Right this way, miss." Fred said, leading them all into his office. Demetri and the girl sat down across from one another, neither able to take their eyes off of the other's. Phoebe took out her psi-portal and handed it to the girl. She placed it on Demetri's forehead without a single word.

"Wait…" Demetri said. "Before we start…what's your name?"

The girl smiled.

"You were right. My name is Lili." The girl said. There was a bright flash of light and both Demetri and the girl were sitting relaxed in their seats with their eyes closed.

"She's made it in." Quentin said with a small smile.

Lili found herself standing in a busy marketplace in a little town in France. There was a fruit vendor, a toymaker, a butcher, a baker, a tailor, a blacksmith…all kinds of different stands. Then, in a dark part of the marketplace stood a rundown old gypsy caravan.

"You don't want to go there. There's a demon in there." Demetri said, sticking close to the fruit vendor's stall. Lili raised an eyebrow at Demetri. His figure was completely transparent. When an astral projection was transparent, that usually meant that the projection was incomplete. It wasn't capable of working to its full potential. Something was missing from it. Demetri was incomplete.

Despite Demetri's warning, Lili recognized the caravan immediately and ran to it. The doorway was locked. Lili tried knocking.

"N-no! G-go away! Leave me alone! I-I'm a demon! I'm a demon!" A very familiar voice called from within. It was the voice of a young boy.

"Who's in there?" Lili asked softly so she wouldn't scare the child.

"I-I don't know!" The boy sobbed softly.

"Can you try to remember?" Lili asked gently.

"No! No! I don't want to remember! I just want them to leave me alone! I want to go home!" The boy sobbed.

"Why don't you want to remember? Who do you want to leave you alone?" Lili asked.

"I don't want them to hurt me anymore!" The boy cried.

"Listen…do you still have your friendship bracelet?" Lili asked. There was soft sniffling from inside.

"Is it this green thing?" The boy asked softly.

"Yeah, that's it! I have one too! Open the door and I'll show you! I'm your friend. I want to help you get home!" Lili said. The door cracked open slightly and a vibrant green eye peered out at her from the darkness. Lili smiled sweetly at the boy and pulled up her sleeve to reveal the bracelet.

"Who are you?" The boy asked.

"I'm Lili. I'm your friend. I came here to save you." Lili said softly.

"If you're my friend, then why didn't you come rescue me when they were hurting me? Why didn't anyone come when I called for help? The only saving I ever got was when they finally granted me death." The little boy said. Tears streamed down Lili's cheeks.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Lili whispered.

"Please, I'm here now…let me at least try to help you." Lili said. The boy stared at her for a long moment.

"I can't come out of there or they'll get me…you have to come in here with me." The boy said.

"Okay." Lili said softly. Lili stepped into the caravan carefully. It was very dark. Shadowy figures moved all around, leering at them from the shadows and whispering threats. The boy was undoubtedly Raz. He looked just as he had the last time he'd been seen seven years ago, but he was covered in cuts, scrapes, bruises, and burns. Blood stained what was left of the boy's uniform. He was very pale and looked exhausted. His lips were tinged blue from the cold air of the caravan. Just like Demetri, Raz's figure was transparent. Incomplete. Lili knew now what she needed to do.

The boy backed away from Lili, his eyes wide with fear.

"I-I'm a demon…" He whispered.

"Shhh…it's okay, Razputin…you're not a demon." Lili said softly.

"SHH! Don't say that! They said I'm a demon! I'm a demon! They'll come back and they'll hurt me if I'm not! As long as I stay here in my cage where I can't hurt anybody, and never come out, they'll let me live in peace." The boy cried.

"Who will hurt you? Who said that you were a demon?" Lili asked.

"It was them! They hurt me! I can't remember!" Raz cried. Lili had just realized something…Raz was missing just one thing. Lili searched her pockets for Raz's distinguishing accessory.

"Look…I have your goggles." Lili said, offering the red goggles to the boy.

"I've carried them around with me ever since they were found outside the warehouse where you were kidnapped seven years ago." Lili said. She motioned for Raz to come to her.

"It's okay. Come here. I'll protect you." Lili said. Hesitantly, the boy inched toward her. Lili knelt down so that she was eye level with the boy. With a trembling hand, the boy took the goggles from her and examined them. Lili took her trench coat off and draped it over the boy. At first, the boy jumped and tried to run away from her when she moved toward him, but he relaxed when he felt the warmth of the coat. Lili held out her arms toward the boy. The boy looked around at the many shadows and hesitantly scampered into her arms. She held him gently and wrapped her coat snugly around him. She sat down, holding the boy protectively in her lap.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Razputin. I'm here now." Lili said softly. She sat there in the dark with the boy for a long while, calmly holding him to her chest. The boy's eyes darted around the room and he jumped at the slightest noise. Lili could just barely make out the whispers of the nightmares that glided around the room.

"_Razputin! Why didn't you save Sasha? How could you have let us both get shot? You should have recognized the trap! You never should have let yourself be captured! This is all your fault, demon! I hate you!" _Milla's voice whispered harshly.

"_You let him shoot me, Razputin. You let him shoot Milla; the woman who means more to me than life. You let him shoot us both after all that we've done for you. If it hadn't been for you, none of this would have ever happened! Now you will rot in hell forever, demon!" _Sasha's voice hissed.

"_Stay in your cage, demon, where you can never touch anyone again, and I will permit you to keep your pathetic existence. You will stay in this cage along with your sins, and forever you shall remember them and repent!" _An unfamiliar voice said.

"_Remember the mercy I have shown you, wretch, and the agony of my rage; for it was the grace of God that spared thee and it was by his hand that you suffered your punishment! Remember it, demon; for if ever you should stray outside your prison, you will suffer the full fury of the wrath of god; and this time, you will not be shown such mercy!"_ The same, unfamiliar voice hissed. The boy tensed and huddled closer against Lili's chest.

"Raz, who was that?" Lili asked.

"A messenger of God…God sent an angel down to him with a message. He carries out the will of God…punishing demons and wretches like me. I am a demon beyond redemption…I have committed the most unspeakable of sins…I am beyond salvation." Raz said softly.

"Raz, this 'messenger of God'…Did he have short black hair and ice blue eyes?" Lili asked. Raz nodded.

"He's not a messenger of God, Raz! He was a nutcase! He was lying to you! None of what he said meant anything! He was a very religious and very prejudice man who was also very mentally unstable! His insanity drove him to believe that he was a soldier of god sent to eradicate all those who he thought were unworthy!" Lili said. She gripped Raz's shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"Raz, this man did horrible things to so many people. He attacked blacks, Hispanics, Oriental people, Asians, Jews, Christians, Catholics, the blind, the deaf, people with deformities, the mentally challenged…anyone who wasn't white, anyone who didn't speak English, anyone who he believed wasn't completely devoted to God, and anyone who he believed was imperfect. He was the insane, small town version of Hitler!" Lili exclaimed.

"No, he's real…I'm a demon…the angel gave him holy water that hurt me…" Raz said. Lili shook her head.

"Raz, the guy was insane, but admitably, brilliant. He concocted some kind of psitanium based chemical compound that reacts with psychic energy. When it comes into contact with a psychic's skin, it messes up the energy flow; preventing the psychic to use their powers and causing them bodily harm by turning their own energy on them. He just deluded himself into _thinking _that an angel gave it to him." Lili explained. Raz's eyes searched hers hesitantly.

"We caught him, Raz. He's behind bars now. He can't hurt you anymore. He can't lie to you anymore. You're not a demon and you never were." Lili said. Lili smiled faintly.

"We thought you were dead, Raz. You've been gone for such a long time. You dad and your friends and I have all missed you so much." Lili said softly.

"Dad…and my friends…a-and you…" Raz said softly. Tears sprang to his eyes. "I miss them too."

Lili smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Then let's go home, Raz. Come on." Lili said. Raz stared at her.

"I-I can go home?" Raz asked. Lili nodded. Raz hung his head and sniffed softly.

"No I can't. I-I don't know how." Raz said softly.

"That's okay. Just come with me. I'll take you home." Lili said. She smiled encouragingly at Raz.

"I wanna go home." He said softly. Lili stood up and offered him her hand.

"Then let's go." Lili said. Raz took her hand hesitantly. A small smile tugged at his lips. The two headed slowly toward the door. Lili didn't want to spook Raz. Demetri was standing beside the caravan, trying to peek in through the window.

"Lili…please come out of there…I think that's where they put the demon that was inside me…" Demetri called.

"This isn't a demon, Demetri. It's you." Lili called as she pushed open the door. Raz squinted in the new light and clung tightly to Lili's hand nervously.

"Demetri, I think I've found your other half." Lili said. She nudged Raz toward Demetri gently. Demetri and Raz froze and locked eyes. Immediately, a green glow overtook them both. They were abruptly pulled together, like a pair of magnets, and a blinding white light filled the little street.

Lili jolted awake in her seat with a short gasp. Her eyes went immediately to Demetri. The psi-portal had fallen into his lap. He appeared to be asleep. After a few, tense moments, his fingers twitched and his eyes fluttered. Slowly, his vibrant green eyes opened. He looked a bit disoriented at first. His gaze traveled to Lili's face and their eyes met. A warm smile graced his face.

"I would say more like he's my other fourth, because I've always believed you to be my better half." He said. Tears shone in Lili's eyes. She jumped up and launched herself into Raz's arms.

"Oh my god! Raz!" She sobbed. "That was so fucking corny."

Raz chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. After a few moments, Lili abruptly pulled back and delivered a sharp blow to the side of Raz's head.

"I OUGHT TO CHOP YOU INTO FOURTHS MYSELF FOR THE SHIT YOU'VE PUT ME THROUGH THE LAST SEVEN YEARS!" She shrieked. Quentin and Phoebe had to grab Lili while Raz hid behind his chair. He froze when he saw Anita staring at him tearfully. He stood slowly and walked over to her.

"A-allo, i-I'm Anita." She said softly. Raz smiled.

"I know. Anita, I'm still me…I'm just…complete now. The part of my memory…the part of me that was missing is here now. I still remember everything else that Demetri remembers and I feel the same feelings that Demetri feels." Raz said, taking Anita's hands. "I'm still your Demetri…just think of it as a name change. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet; and Demetri by any other name still loves Anita very much."

Anita let out a soft sob and threw her arms around Raz's neck. He hugged her gently. She sniffed and looked up at him.

"I still would like for you to introduce yourself to me. I do not know your ozer 'alf." She said sheepishly. Raz smiled.

"Hi. I'm Razputin D'artagan Aquato, son of Greyson Aquato. I am twenty years old. I am a gypsy and live with my father and several other gypsies of the Aquato clan in a traveling circus. I was born in Lithuania, my mother passed away when I was very little, and I have no biological brothers or sisters, but count my fellow clansmen as part of my family. When I was ten years old, I ran away from the circus to Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp to hone my psychic powers and begin the path toward my life's dream of becoming a Psychonaut. While there, I made many friends and uncovered a plot to rule the world. I foiled the plot, saved the camp, and four other inmates of a broken down asylum called 'Thorny Towers' that was in the middle of Lake Oblongata. When all was said and done, my relationship with my father was stronger than ever, I had many new friends, and was accepted into the Psychonauts as their kidnapping specialist. I was the youngest in history to ever be accepted." Raz said. Anita stared at him.

"You can't be serious…you are making all zat up, aren't you? You are pulling my leg!" Anita said. Raz shook his head.

"Sounds crazy, but it's true." Raz chuckled.

"Wow…" Anita muttered, plopping back down in her chair. Raz's gaze moved to Quentin and Phoebe, who were looking back at him with smiles. Raz laughed.

"Oh my god…you two got married! Congratulations! I wish I had been there!" Raz said. Phoebe and Quentin laughed.

"We've got a tape of it, so you can see the whole thing." Quentin said.

"God…you got so tall, Quentin…and Phoebe…you grew up really nicely…not that I ever thought you weren't pretty…" Raz said. Phoebe chuckled.

"I know what you mean. Thank you, Raz." Phoebe said. Raz's eyes went back to Lili (who was still being restrained by Phoebe and Quentin). Raz walked up to her.

"I-I'm sorry, Lili…that I've been gone so long." Raz said softly. Phoebe and Quentin released her when they were certain that she wouldn't attack Raz again.

"Seven years…for seven years, I've waited. Not a day has gone by that I didn't miss you." Lili said. She gave him a teary smile.

"But I never gave up. I never doubted you. I never believed that you were dead. I always knew that you were out there somewhere and that you were alive!" Lili laughed, throwing her arms around Raz's neck. The two embraced lovingly. Lili buried her face in Raz's shoulder.

"Mmm…you'd better take me on one hell of a date to make up for the seven years of birthdays and first kiss anniversaries you've missed." Lili whispered. Raz's heart soared.

"S-so…does that mean…" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"I told you that I never gave up on you, Raz. I was waiting for you to come back. You're still my boyfriend." Lili said. Raz grinned happily. He grabbed Lili's hand and pulled her over to where Anita was sitting.

"Lili, this is my surrogate mother/sister kinda sorta…she found me and nursed me back to health. Her name is Anita. Anita, this is my girlfriend, Lili Zanotto." Raz said. Anita and Lili smiled and one another and shook hands.

"Thanks for looking after my stupid boyfriend." Lili chuckled.

"Ze pleasure was mine. I love zat knuckle headed boy." Anita chuckled.

"Hey…" Raz whined. A soft laugh caught everyone's attention. Fred was sitting down in an armchair nearby with Boyd standing beside him. Boyd had a hand on Fred's shoulder and Fred was crying. Fred was blushing and Boyd was chuckling.

"C'mon, Fred, pull yourself together before you drown us all." Boyd teased, holding back joyful tears of his own.

"Oh, shut up, Boyd." Fred said. Raz laughed and walked over to them.

"Wow, Fred…a world renowned psychiatrist, psychiatry professor, and philanthropist…Thanks so much for helping me remember who I am." Raz said. Fred laughed as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I'm sorry…I just can't believe it's really you!" Fred said. Raz laughed and hugged Fred and Boyd. Fred took a moment to compose himself.

"We've missed you, Kid!" Boyd said, ruffling Raz's hair. Fred grabbed Raz's hands.

"Raz, do you remember how you got away from that nutcase and how you ended up in France? I just gotta know!" Fred said. Raz paused. He was deep in thought. Suddenly, a panicked expression overtook his face.

"Sasha and Milla! Did they make it? Are they okay?! God, please tell me they are…Wait! I saw it on tv…they spoke at my funeral…they're alive…" Raz sighed, relieved. The panic came right back not a second later.

"OH MY GOD! _Sasha's in prison_!" Raz cried. He started pacing around the room as old memories came pouring back. He was suddenly remembering countless newscasts that he had heard pertaining to his friends.

"And JT too! And Maloof is wanted by the Psychonauts! And Vernon was fired because of that awful thing that happened to Elton! And, holy crap, Bobby's a top agent! And…oh my god…Lili! You're not a Psychonaut anymore and your dad's not grand head!" Raz cried. Lili sighed and guided Raz to a chair, making him sit.

"You only know what you heard on the news. There's a lot you need to be set straight on, because the media doesn't know shit." Lili said, a hardened expression on her face. Quentin and Phoebe also looked bitter.

"Well, I'm listening." Raz said eagerly. Lili sighed and took a seat across from Raz.

"I don't even know where to begin." Lili said softly. "Things have gotten really fucked up since you've been gone, Raz."

"Just go in order starting from when I disappeared." Raz suggested. Lili nodded.

"Okay." Lili said. She took a deep breath and started her tale; a summary of seven years.

"Well, all of us from Whispering Rock graduated and went on to become agents upon turning eighteen. There was one exception. Maloof was allowed to join at age 17, because the agency needed him for a special mission. Since Mikhail is two years older than Maloof, Mikhail was already on the force. Mikhail and Maloof were partnered up on a mission to infiltrate the Italian Mafia. Maloof was chosen to go on the mission because, just as we suspected, his father was in the Mafia. He was a captain, but he got whacked when Maloof was 15. So, being from a family that was so strongly connected with the Mafia, Maloof was a perfect candidate to go undercover." Lili began. Her expression saddened.

"So, Mikhail stayed in the city and monitored the surveillance feed from the equipment that Maloof had on him while Maloof went undercover and managed to get the Mafia's attention. He joined their ranks, did their bidding, and gained their trust until, finally, one day, he got made. He was the first psychic the mafia ever had. Things went perfectly for about four months, but then, Maloof turned traitor. At least, that's what it seemed like. All I know is that Maloof stopped contacting the Psychonauts and became more involved with the Mafia and committed some really serious crimes. Mikhail was ordered to take Maloof down, and neither of them have been seen since." Lili said.

"What do you think happened to them?" Raz asked. Lili shrugged.

"I don't know. I think something when terribly wrong and the agency tried to cover it up. It wouldn't surprise me after what happened to Elton and Vernon." Lili said bitterly.

"Whatever you heard about them on the news was a complete and total lie." Lili spat angrily.

"Tell me what happened." Raz said. Lili's expression was sad.

"Well, when Elton graduated, he went into the Psychonauts Navy division. It wasn't long before he was a well know officer for his leadership skills, wisdom, and bravery. About three months in, Vernon got stationed on Elton's ship for a nine month deployment out to sea. Vernon was and still is quite the scientist. Oceanography, biology, marine biology, archeology, astrology, geology, geography, paleontology, linguistics, sociology…he's got more degrees than a thermometer. He was fully equipped to handle all aspects of all things pertaining to history. It was both his forte and his passion." Lili explained.

"The agency deployed him on Elton's ship so that Vernon could investigate possible psitanium deposits in the ocean. He was also looking into several shipwrecks and other sites of interest to the agency on the route. Elton would take Vernon out to the sites on one of the speedboats. Vernon would dive down and investigate and whatnot and Elton would stay on the boat and provide whatever help Vernon needed." Lili said. She smiled slightly.

"You already knew that Milka broke up with Elton and Franke broke up with Vernon." Lili said. Raz nodded.

"Yeah, it happened at camp, but they were still good friends." Raz said. Lili nodded.

"Well, Elton and Vernon spent a lot of time together, just the two of them, out on that speedboat. They got to know each other very well. Very. Very. Well." Lili said slyly.

"You're kidding!" Raz chuckled. Lili shook her head.

"I knew Vernon was bisexual and he used to have a crush on Elton…but I never dreamed that Elton was…" Raz laughed.

"Oh, yeah. For the longest time, none of us knew about it…it wasn't until something horrible happened that we found out about it…" Lili said softly, her expression saddening again.

"What?" Raz asked.

"One day, Vernon and Elton were out at a site in the Arabian Sea. They were a good eighty miles from the actual ship. Vernon came across some sharks in the water and sustained a serious bite to his shoulder. The wound was deep. He was bleeding pretty badly and the force of the bite had completely snapped his collarbone and his shoulder blade was split in two. The tubes going to his oxygen tank were badly damaged as well and Vernon couldn't make it to the surface. Elton managed to call off the shark and jumped in after Vernon. He got Vernon out of the water and resuscitated him. Elton knew that Vernon wouldn't survive the journey back to the ship. He picked up another vessel thirty miles away on his scanner and headed for it." Lili took a deep, shaky breath. Her fists were coiled with rage.

"I'm sure you remember hearing a newscast about how some of Lerio's guys 'discovered' the location of a major terrorist base in Al Amarah, Iraq back when the elections were still going." Lili said. Raz nodded.

"Elton and Vernon discovered how they made that lovely discovery. The ship they stumbled upon in an attempt to get Vernon to a doctor just happened to be one of Lerio's ships. Elton felt like something fishy was going on the moment he came aboard. There was an awful lot of security on it for a mere 'supply ship' as the men aboard claimed it to be. The men aboard were being awful friendly too. They volunteered to inform the ship that Vernon and Elton came from about Vernon's injuries. They fixed Vernon up. All the while, Elton had a sense that something wasn't right on that ship. He kept getting flashes of someone screaming in Arab. Whoever it was, they were in terrible pain. Someone kept asking 'Where?'. Elton was very uncomfortable. It was going to be dark soon and Vernon's injuries had been treated, so Elton decided to take Vernon and get back to the ship." Lili explained.

"So, Elton thanked the crew for their help and got Vernon back onto the speedboat. As they got started on their way back, Elton told Vernon about what he'd experienced. Vernon was able to translate a little of what Elton remembered hearing in the Arab language. It was pretty obvious to them both that the Arab was the victim of a major infringement of 'prisoner of war' conduct. He was being tortured for information." Lili said. Raz gasped.

"The guys on the ship must have been suspicious of Vernon and Elton. They opened fire on them. Their speedboat was destroyed. Vernon was too weak to tread water and Elton was unconscious and badly wounded from the explosion. A whale shark that Elton had introduced Vernon to followed the two everywhere on the sea, so it was right there to save Vernon and Elton when the speedboat went down. It got Vernon and Elton back to their cruiser. The crew of the cruiser was on high alert. They knew that Elton and Vernon should have returned long before then and neither of them was responding over the radio. They were six hours late. By then, it was all over the news that they were missing." Lili said. She sneered bitterly.

"So, in an 'act of compassion', Lerio jumped into his helicopter and rushed to Vernon and Elton's ship to 'aid in the search and rescue'." Lili murmured darkly. She snorted.

"Ha! He was there in order to look good for the press! Oh yeah, he helped in the search alright; but 'rescue' was far from his plan. If it'd been his group who found Elton and Vernon, they would have killed them both to keep them quiet!" Lili spat angrily.

"But, thankfully, the two were found by members of their own crew. They were on the whale shark's back, unconscious from a combination of their injuries and hypothermia around 18 miles from the cruiser when their crew finally spotted them. They took Elton and Vernon back on board and treated their injuries." Lili said. Lili sighed and took another deep breath.

"Vernon was the first to come around. Elton's injuries left him in a coma. His legs were so badly damaged that it wasn't likely that he'd ever walk again. When asked what happened, Vernon told the truth. Unfortunately, Lerio already had a perfect alibi. He moved his ship, got rid of the prisoners, and worked his charm. He made a total fool out of Vernon. Anyone who didn't know Elton and Vernon personally believed that Vernon was lying." Lili said. She looked absolutely furious.

"And they said on the news that the speedboat exploded when one of Vernon's depth charges that he used to get deeper into the ocean floor backfired and hit the speedboat's gas tank…" Raz said. Lili nodded.

"The news also said that Vernon was fired because his sanity was questionable and he was a danger to everyone around him. They talked about some huge scandal between Vernon and Elton. They said that Vernon and Elton were having an affair, and Elton was just in it for the sex. Like hell! I can promise you, both of them are as much virgins as they ever were." Lili snorted.

"I didn't need to know that." Raz muttered.

"What? I'm just saying that Elton would act a hell of a lot more manly if he ever got laid." Lili said.

"Okay, I'm not even going to ask about why you think that…" Raz said. Lili rolled her eyes.

"Trust me. I think we'd know." Lili said.

"Anyway, the news said that Elton broke up with Vernon and that made Vernon mad, so he fired the depth charge up at the speedboat on purpose to get revenge on Elton for breaking his heart. They portrayed Vernon like some naïve little schoolgirl having sex with a married teacher because the teacher said it was true love, and Elton was the teacher." Lili spat. "And when his heart got broken and he saw the truth, Vernon went mad with anguish and hate and decided to get even."

"BULLSHIT!" Lili growled. "Vernon got fired because he knew too much! They took away everything from Vernon to prevent him from coming back! They trashed his credibility! They slandered his good name! The destroyed his reputation!"

"What about Elton?" Raz asked. Lili sighed.

"Still comatose. Vernon is trying to stay away from Elton because he thinks hanging around Elton will just do more damage to Elton's good name. The doctor that's 'taking care' of Elton says he did everything he could to revive him. I say it's bull. They do everything they can to keep anyone who's a close friend of Elton's out. The doctor is with Lerio. I'm sure Elton can be revived; but Lerio doesn't want that, so it's not happening." Lili muttered.

"I knew it…I knew that this Lerio guy was no good!" Raz said.

"Raz, you don't know the half of it!" Lili cried. "Why do you think I quit the Psychonauts?! Why do you think Sasha staged a coup and tried to kill him?!"

"Lerio played dirty! He smeared the Zanotto name and the names of all our friends! He's done all he can to get anyone who remains loyal to my father out of the agency!" Lili hissed. She leaned close to Raz's ear.

"He's up to something." She whispered.

"Sasha thinks Lerio is a real mad genius. Lerio is setting up the board. He's getting all the pieces that pose a threat out of his way and putting his own pieces into place. Bribery, torture, threats…there's nothing he won't do." Lili said.

"He's looking to get whoever he can on his side." Phoebe said, staring hard at Fred.

"Phoebe, don't start." Fred said.

"Don't start what?" Raz asked.

"Old Lerio has wanted Fred here for years. He's the best psychiatrist there is." Quentin said. "We should know. Phoebe and I were his students for a long time."

"He's tried to get me under contract for years, but I keep turning him down." Fred said. "I don't like the way he works."

"Yeah, and he wants you on his side really bad, Fred. He's been playing nice so far, but I'm terrified that that's all going to end soon." Quentin said.

"I will not work for or with him." Fred said defiantly.

"I know…and I don't want to see you do it either…but he's going to get ugly toward you soon…I know it." Phoebe said.

"You two may be able to play along with him and work against him at the same time, but I cannot. It goes against every fiber of my being." Fred said. Quentin sighed.

"What Fred is doing is important. As long as he can remain an outright pillar of defiance to Lerio, it may encourage others to the same." Quentin said.

"Thank you, Quentin." Fred said smugly.

"However, it puts you in a lot of danger, Fred." Quentin said. Fred sulked.

"You are a psychiatrist, not a psychic. You live alone and you work at home, so people come and go and no one would think anything of it if something happened to you that left you unable to leave your home…" Quentin said.

"I am an excellent fencer and have many swords hanging on the walls all over my estate should I need one. I'm also a black belt, and I have a handgun which I know how to use..." Fred said.

"Martial arts, bullets, and swords won't protect you from a psychic attack!" Quentin snapped.

"So you want me to get security." Fred said. "That just defeats what you said earlier about me being 'a pillar of defiance against Lerio'! A pillar does not take cover from what it stands against behind others! A pillar faces what it stands against and allows others to take cover behind it!"

"Oh, that's a great line! Put that in the next protest speech!" Boyd said, clapping. Phoebe, Lili, and Quentin glared at him.

"Yeah, it is a great line, but, Fred, what good is a pillar if it falls?" Quentin asked.

"A big, thick, tall, strong pillar can continue protect those who stand behind it, even after it falls." Fred said. Quentin sighed. He'd been bested in a contest of words. Fred stood and put a hand on Quentin's shoulder.

"Don't worry about me. It's like you said. I'm not a psychic. I'm not a Psychonaut. I'm just a regular guy…yes, Boyd, a ten foot tall regular guy…" Fred said, eyeing a smirking Boyd. "So, the way I can provide the most help now is to uphold my image as a respectable person and act as a pillar. I will stand defiant against whatever Lerio throws my way. I will protect the people who stand behind me, and if more pillars should be raised, we will stand together as a firm, strong, sturdy, unwavering foundation on which a brighter future may be built."

Boyd, Raz, and Anita were in awe at Fred's words. Phoebe, Quentin, and Lili had to admit that Fred made an eloquent point.

"I shall stand against the elements strong and tall. I will break before I bend to Lerio's will. Even if I should break, at least I will know that I stood strong and true and that perhaps I've inspired the raising of other pillars to take my place." Fred said.

"Beautiful words, Fred. Truly, you do make a powerful speech; but this is your life we're talking about! Lerio will stop at nothing to get his way! He will hurt you however he can! He'll go after the people you care about, he'll ruin your good name, and he will physically injure you! He could kill you!" Quentin hissed. Fred looked Quentin in the eyes calmly.

"I know that. You seem to forget to whom you are speaking." Fred said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I am a Bonaparte. I will gladly fight my enemy until one of us is dead."

Quentin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"The way you're going on, I might as well go to city hall and reason with an actual stone pillar." Quentin muttered.

"You're pretty persuasive. Maybe it'll listen." Fred teased.

"So, judging by the sound of things…the rebellion is still alive, huh?" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"Sasha was the mastermind behind it all; but just because he's in prison doesn't mean we're finished. Everyone in this room is involved." Lili said. Raz smiled.

"Where do I sign up?" Raz asked. Lili smiled.

"You're in, tree sitter. There's no way we're sending you to Lerio!" Lili laughed.

"Hold on just a second." Quentin said. A wicked smile crept onto his face. "Sending him to Lerio may not be such a bad thing…"

"What? You been smoking crack or something, Quentin? What's really in that hot chocolate you like so much? Phoebe, are you using cocaine as fabric softener when you wash that damned scarf of his?" Lili asked. Quentin chuckled and shook his head.

"Think about it, Lili. Raz, the poster boy of the Psychonauts, makes a miraculous return with the same values that made him a hero. Lerio will suck up to him right away. Raz makes Lerio think he's behind him, Raz gets on Lerio's good side, Raz sweet talks Lerio into letting him see Sasha since he hasn't seen him in so long and Sasha can relay information to us through Raz! Raz could probably talk Lerio into letting him see Elton too! He might be able to help Elton!" Quentin said.

"Perfect!" Phoebe cried. She kissed Quentin on the cheek. "Mmmm! I married one brilliant, sexy hunk of man!"

Quentin smiled and put an arm around Phoebe.

"And I married one sweet, jaw-dropping gorgeous slice of lady." Quentin said. Lili turned to Raz.

"What do you think?" Lili asked. Raz smiled.

"Count me in." Raz said.

"Now, how to go about this…" Quentin said thoughtfully. Phoebe's hand shot up.

"Oh! I've got it!" She cried.

"Lerio is going to be giving a big speech next month about the new policies he's employing! It's open to questions from the public!" Phoebe said.

"Yeah, that's perfect! The press is always all over the place when Lerio gives a speech! We'll have Raz there in his uniform; all decked out with his helmet and goggles and friendship bracelet, he'll state his name and place of residence, as all those who want to ask Lerio questions do and when he does…" Quentin said.

"Instant uproar!" Lili cried.

"From there, Raz acts like he's on Lerio's side, gives us inside information, and we gather up all the evidence we need, and when the moment's right, we pounce! Hello impeachment, bye bye Lerio!" Quentin laughed.

"It sounds like we're going to need all the help we can get. Who else is with us in this?" Raz asked. Everyone fell silent. They all smiled nervously.

"Uhm…aside from us?" Phoebe asked. Raz nodded.

"Uhm…well…Dogen…and Jt was with us, but…" Quentin said, his expression saddening.

"What happened to him?" Raz asked.

"Jt was the one who actually fired the shots during the assassination attempt. For once in his life, he actually missed." Quentin said grimly.

"Jt kept Chops in the dark about the whole thing so Chops wouldn't get into trouble if Jt happened to fail. Chops didn't know anything about the coup. Poor guy…h-he…" Phoebe said softly.

"He was forced to go after Jt. Chops was so flustered over the whole thing that his aim was off as well. He was aiming for Jt's leg…he was aiming to immobilize only…but he misfired and hit Jt in the back; right over his heart." Lili said.

"We don't know where Jt is or if he's even still alive." Phoebe said softly.

"As for Chops, I think he's lying low up in Canada. He's facing an inquiry on top of the fact that he may have fatally wounded his best friend." Phoebe said.

"And does he know about why Jt kept him in the dark?" Raz asked. They all shrugged.

"We should tell him. I'll bet he'd feel better and I'll bet he'd help us." Raz said. "As a matter of fact, I think we should round up all the old campers. It's time for a little camp reunion."

"What if they don't want to join us?" Phoebe asked. Raz looked her in the eye.

"They will. I know they will." Raz said, smiling reassuringly. "None of them are so blind or so heartless that they wouldn't understand and wouldn't want to fight this."

He grabbed a pencil and paper and began to write down the names of the other campers.

"We know that Elton's comatose, Dogen's with us, Sasha's behind bars, and Chops is in Canada…" Raz began. "The big question here is where are all the others?"

It took three hours to complete the list.

Phoebe, Quentin, Elton, Dogan, Chops, Sasha, and Lili were all accounted for (duh).

Milla, Ford , and Morry were at Whispering Rock under house arrest while the Psychonauts investigated them to see whether or not they were involved in Sasha's coup. They weren't. Sasha kept it secret from them for the same reasons Jt kept Chops in the dark.

Clem and Crystal were a pair of the agency's best detectives. Nils was a field agent and Elka was a top doctor in the agency. Kitty was working a very high up desk job in the agency. Milka was working a desk job in the archives department. Chloe was working for NASA. Bobby was a top agent in the Psychonauts. Benny had dropped out of Psychonauts training and never actually became an agent. His whereabouts were unknown. Jt, Mikhail and Maloof were currently missing.

"What about Franke and Vernon?" Raz asked. Lili shrugged.

"A little while after Vernon was fired, Franke quit. I have no idea where they are now." Lili said. Fred swallowed thickly.

"I-I know where they are…" Fred said hesitantly.

Well, Raz is back! Or is he? Okay, I'd love to get some reader participation on this one, just for fun. Who would you guys like to see Lili and company track down first to recruit for the coup? Each former camper comes with their own shroud of mystery that needs untangling. Have they already chosen a side? Are they the same people Raz remembers, or will the changes in them come as a big surprise? If so, would it be a pleasant surprise, or a chilling one? Will they believe Lili and company? How great is the risk of Lili and company being turned in by one of their former friends?

Reviews greatly appreciated!


	4. The Recruiting Begins

Well, since there was only one response to my authors note at the end of the last chapter, by default, I'll be going with Fireflyoflight's request! You are the requester, so this chapter goes out to you, Firefly!

This chapter may go out to Firefly, but I've hidden a few little surprises in here for each of my friends, the reviewers, as well. Keep your eyes peeled ;)

To Carcaohtar (squee! This is the first time I've spelled your username right without having to go back and look at it!): Aw! I'm glad you liked the Raz-Lili reunion! There is more fluff to come between the two in this chapter, and another reunion with an old friend will be thrown into the mix! Wuh-oh…did I copy someone with my psitanium based 'holy water'? If I did, please let me know and I'll make a disclaimer. I dun wanna be a copy cat. I had the limiters in Loyalties and Where They Lie…perhaps you recalled those? Bow chika weh ow! Oh yeah! Vern and Ellie know each other real well ;). Yes! All hail Dart! And yes, I saw those posters. I just thought I'd spare you readers the confusion of meeting those siblings, so I made them into fellow Aquato gypsies instead. Thanks so so much for the fave!

To Fireflyoflight457: Yep, you were right! Cant wait for a new chapter, huh? Well, good thing I happen to have one right here for ya!

To Lazycrazysugarhighchick: XD! Thank you! You make me blush!

To Lyn: I hate it when the site eats reviews too X0. Yes, there is no denying the awsomenessness that is Lili Zanotto XD!

**Chapter Four**

Raz, Anita, Fred, Boyd, Phoebe, Lili, and Quentin all stood in front of the door to Vernon's apartment; tensely awaiting for someone to answer the door. Minutes ticked past and there was no answer.

"Fred? Boyd? What? Lili? Phoebe and Quentin too? What are you guys doing he….oh my god…" A voice from just down the hall muttered. Everyone turned to see Franke Athens standing in the hallway pale with shock as she stared at Raz.

"Ah, Franke! We were hoping we'd catch you. Do you know where Vernon is? We really need to speak with both of you." Fred said.

"Um…y-you just missed him…h-he decided to…erm…go out of town for a few days to cool off…" Franke said faintly. She blinked rapidly, rubbed her eyes and shook her head in an attempt to make the ghost among the group of her friends disappear.

"Okay…can we speak with you in private?" Fred asked. Franke nodded dumbly and opened the door to her apartment right next door to Vernon's. The group filed inside silently. Franke invited them to take a seat in the living room, never taking her eyes off of Raz.

Everyone sat in awkward silence in the living room. No one was quite sure where to begin.

"So, Franke, how'd you and Vernon come to be next door neighbors?" Raz asked warmly. Franke jolted and sputtered.

"I-I…uh…I'm sorry, but…d-do I know you?" Franke asked. Raz smiled at her warmly.

"Franke, I am just who you think I am. You're not crazy. I'm just as real as you are." Raz said.

"B-but you're dead…I-I-I went to your funeral…" Franke whispered.

"We only thought he was dead, Franke." Phoebe said.

"If you'll remember, his body was never recovered." Quentin said. The gang proceeded to fill Franke in on Raz's 'return from the dead'.

"My god…how'd you get away? How'd you end up in France?" Franke asked. Raz cast his gaze to the ground.

"Honestly, I still can't remember; but I'm here now, aren't I?" Raz said. Franke made no inclination of an answer.

"Are you going to join us or not?" Lili asked impatiently. Franke had the look of a deer caught in the headlights. Phoebe sighed.

"You don't believe us, do you, Franke?" Phoebe said.

"I-I don't know what to believe…" Franke said. "I just really don't know…"

"It's alright, Franke. This is a lot to absorb." Quentin said understandingly.

"J-just give me a few days…I wanna talk this over with Vernon." Franke said. Fred nodded understandingly.

"That's fine. You just come on down to the Bonaparte Estate when you have your answer." Fred said. Without another word, everyone (minus Franke, of course) rose from their seats and left Franke to her thoughts.

"Well, that was a brilliant success." Lili muttered darkly.

"It's a lot to process, Lili." Quentin said.

"You'd think she'd have a little more faith in us." Lili said.

"Hey, it's a pretty unbelievable story. I can't say I blame her for questioning it." Raz said.

"I hope you're not expecting everyone you go to to instantly and without hesitation join your crusade; because, I hate to tell you this, but the odds of that are slim." Fred said.

"And this is coming from a world-renowned psychiatrist. He knows how the human mind works. I hate to say it, but Fred is right." Phoebe said. "This won't be easy."

"But zat does not mean zat it is impossible." Anita said.

"Anita's right. I believe that the plan will still work. We just have to really put all our effort into it. We gotta keep trying. We'll come back to Franke later. Who should we try for next?" Raz asked. Everyone pondered the question carefully.

"It's a stretch…it could turn out either way…she could be the hardest or the easiest to persuade…" Quentin muttered to himself.

"Who?" Phoebe asked.

"Elka. Elka Doom." Quentin said.

"That's right! She may have had visions to back up our story!" Lili said.

"On the other hand, she's damn stubborn and thick headed. Once she has made a decision, it's impossible to change her mind." Phoebe said.

"Then again, wherever Elka is, Nils is never far. If we can't convince Elka, I think Nils will be easier to persuade; and if Nils joins us, there's a better chance that Elka will follow him." Quentin said.

"Yeah, or she could go into one of her hissy fits with Nils not being totally under her control and turn us all in to get her way." Lili said.

"It's a big risk, but I think we should go for it. Her medical expertise would be a real asset to the rebellion." Quentin said.

"So, are we all in agreement?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, I think that winning Elka over is a good next move." Raz said.

"Okay, then Elka it is." Phoebe said.

"Great! Where do we find her?" Raz asked.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, she's stationed up in New York City right now." Phoebe said. Quentin nodded.

"Now, as I'm sure you all know, we just can't prance up to her willy-nilly. Lerio is watching his best people like a hawk. Lili wouldn't work. Lerio would be suspicious of the daughter of his biggest adversary returning to the force to pay a friendly visit to an old friend. Raz can't do it because…well, he needs to stay dead for a while longer. Lerio might get suspicious if Phoebe and I were to go out of our way to see Elka." Quentin said.

"But I feel that it'll take all four of us to convince her of our story." Phoebe said. Quentin nodded.

"I think that the only way we're going to confront her properly and successfully get our point across is if we do it discretely and in disguise." Quentin said.

"Now, how to go about it?" Raz asked. After deliberating long into the night, a plan was finally set. Phoebe and Quentin returned home while Lili accepted Fred's invitation to put her up at the Bonaparte Estate.

Lili and Raz sat on the sofa in the library, curled up together by the fire and just enjoying the company of the other.

"Lili" Raz asked softly. His expression was deeply troubled.

"What's wrong, Raz?" Lili asked.

"I was wondering…a-about my father…" Raz began. Lili nodded understandingly.

"Oh, yes. I don't know why I forgot that you'd ask about him." Lili said. This made Raz very tense and pale. Lili smirked at him reassuringly.

"He and I keep in touch. He's become like a second father to me. He sends me gifts on my birthday and Christmas...everything he so desperately wanted to do for you." Lili said. Raz's expression brightened.

"S-so he's okay?" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"He's fit as any acrobat should be." Lili said.

"How am I ever going to find him when he lives with a traveling circus?" Raz sighed, looking even more depressed than before.

"I'll put Dogen right on it. He'll find them." Lili said. Her smirk grew and grew until it was an uncontrollable grin. She began to chuckle. Her chuckles turned to giggles and her giggles to a full blown fit of laughter.

"Do-Dogen is gonna shit himself when he finds out you're back!" Lili laughed.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

Fred and Boyd clanked their cups together and downed their drinks. They sat at the same table Fred sat at with Vernon the night before; but this time, for a much cheerier reason.

"Remind me again why we're in a gay bar." Boyd said.

"Do you like your drink?" Fred asked.

"Best damned vodka I've ever had." Boyd said. Fred raised an eyebrow at Boyd and smiled. Boyd chuckled.

"Aren't you worried that you might be spotted? You know how the media is. A world renowned psychiatrist spotted in a gay bar…everyone in the bar will be assumed to be your boyfriend and it's scandalous relationships everywhere, then the sexual abuse claims start rolling in…Your rep will go right down the toilet." Boyd said. Fred just rolled his eyes.

"Nobody will recognized me. There's a reason that I've never put my picture in any of the books I've written and never appeared in person on TV. No one knows what I look like unless they've met me personally. Even if I was recognized, screw them. I don't give a damn about what the media thinks of me." Fred said. A grin rose to Boyd's face. He leaned closer to Fred.

"You been screwing the milk man? (1)" He asked. Fred burst into laughter.

"Let's see…according to the tabloids, I've done the gardener, the home decorator, the plumber, the pool boy, and the exterminator…nope…I don't think I've screwed the milk man yet." Fred said sarcastically. Boyd laughed. The moment was interrupted when Boyd's cell phone started ringing.

"Aw, damn…" Boyd muttered as he checked the caller ID.

"It's my boss…I should have expected it…I'll be right back, Fred; I gotta take this call." Boyd said. He jogged out of the bar where it was quieter to take the call. Fred sighed and rolled his eyes when he caught a few burly men at a table across the room staring at him and whispering to each other with predatory smirks. Fred almost groaned aloud when they got up and approached him.

"Don't even start with me." Fred warned. The men chose to ignore him.

"Aw, come on. Don't be like that!" One of them said.

"Yeah, it's tough to find anyone good looking around here." Another said.

"Yeah, I mean, just look at who you came in with!" Another exclaimed. The men all laughed and Fred just ignored them. One of the men walked up and boldly put an arm around Fred's shoulders.

"Aw, come on, Legs!" He said.

"Yeah, ditch the hobo and come with us!" One of the men said.

"Yeah! We'll show you a good time!" Another said.

"Mmm hmm! I love the ones with legs!" Another laughed.

"Well there's plenty there for everyone!" Another laughed. Fred rolled his eyes. One of the men let out a seductive purr and put his hand on Fred's knee.

"Very nice!" He said.

"I'm a black belt. Remove your hand from my leg or I will remove it for you." Fred said, glaring ice daggers at the man. This earned several loud hoots from the men.

"He's feisty!" One of the man laughed.

"Hey, you think I'm joking, buster? These legs aren't just for looks." Fred warned.

"Oh yeah, I'll bet they have all kinds of uses!" One of the men hooted.

"I'm warning you, you're getting on my last nerve." Fred said.

"Hey, if I'm working your nerves so nice right here, just think of what it'll be like in bed!" One of the men said. The others whistled and hooted. They finally noticed Boyd standing behind them, looking extremely peeved.

"Get lost, man." One of the men said.

"Yeah. You don't have a chance with a piece of ass like this." Another said.

"This one's our find." Another said. Boyd ignored them, his expression shifting to a pleasant one as he sat down beside Fred.

"That was the Chief. He said that it turns out that that guy I caught in that drug bust the other day may live after all. He'll never have children again because of what happened with that axe, but he'll survive to serve his life sentence." Boyd said.

"Oh. That's good." Fred said. The men that had been hitting on Fred paled and stared at Boyd.

"So, it looks like I won't get my wrist slapped this time around." Boyd said.

"So you'll be able to stay with the boys in blue?" Fred asked.

"Not just stay. I'm getting a shiny new badge." Boyd said. Fred smiled coyly at Boyd.

"My hero." Fred said. The men who had been hitting on Fred promptly sent back to their table and Fred and Boyd decided to leave.

"Yeesh! Vernon's right! There's nothing but sex depraved perverted assholes around here." Fred said, pulling his coat closer around him as he and Boyd walked toward the Bonaparte estate. "I wonder if they're the same guys who keep hitting on Vernon."

"Thanks for bailing me out with that quick thinking, by the way." Fred said.

"No problem." Boyd said. "So, still think the vodka's worth the trouble?"

"Hell yeah; as long as there's someone with you to keep the vultures away." Fred said. Boyd chuckled. That was exactly what Boyd liked about Fred. He was independent, and daring, yet at the same time wise and caring. He wasn't afraid to step up to a challenge. He was noble and trustworthy and he played by the rules. He was stubborn in an admirable sort of way. When he stood up for something, it was always the right things.

"That was good vodka." Boyd admitted. He kept a smile on his face even though his heart was sinking in his chest.

That's right. He and Fred had visited the gay bar because they wanted to celebrate Raz's return and the vodka there was good. It was nothing more than that. Boyd mentally kicked himself. Why did that disappoint him so much?

"I hate to see him have to go so soon, though." Fred said. "I mean, we only just got him back today and he has to leave first thing tomorrow."

Fred shook his head and blushed slightly.

"Shit…listen to me…He's going off to try to make the world a better place…I'm being selfish." Fred said.

"No you're not, Fred. You're the least selfish guy I know." Boyd said. "You're entitled to want to spend a little more time with him."

"I'll be able to spend plenty of time with him once we get things rolling." Fred said. Boyd nodded.

"Sheegor, Sam, Edger, and Gloria are going to flip when they hear the news." Boyd chuckled.

"Yeah." Fred chuckled. He let out a soft sigh.

"What's on your mind?" Boyd asked.

"I was just thinking about Vernon. I really hope Elton can be revived…I don't think Vernon will take this whole thing very well." Fred began.

"I mean…he's spent months with me in therapy trying to grasp the reality that he and Elton were so expendable to the Psychonauts and that Elton would likely remain in a coma for the rest of his life." Fred said.

"He hates the Psychonauts now, and I don't blame him; but his hatred is strong. I didn't want to tell Phoebe and Quentin about it, but Vernon sees them as backstabbers for staying in the agency after the atrocious treatment he and Elton were shown." Fred said.

"Maybe once he knows that Phoebe and Quentin have stayed in the agency to try to avenge that injustice, he'll join us." Boyd said. Fred shrugged.

"I don't know. He's pretty insecure, Boyd. That's why he travels so much and gets so wrapped up in his work. He doesn't want to have close friends. He barely speaks so that no one will want to engage him in conversation that would lead to bonding. He is timid so that he will go unnoticed. He doesn't want to be available to meet someone new. He needs an excuse to escape relationships. He doesn't ever want to suffer the pain of betrayal and loosing someone he gave his heart to ever again." Fred said.

"He's determined that he has accepted all the tragedies that have happened in his life and he's determined to make sure that he won't feel that kind of pain ever again. I'm not saying he's paranoid, but out of habitual self defense, I think he'll deny what we have to say. He'll say that he believes that Phoebe and Quentin are backstabbers that the Psychonauts sent to try to get him in trouble. He'll have his mind made up that Raz is dead and won't ever come back. By doing that, he can assure that he won't work up hope that Elton might wake up; thus likely preventing a lot more emotional pain." Fred said.

"You're the psychiatrist." Boyd said.

"I think it'll take nothing less than Elton himself walking up to Vernon and explaining the situation for Vernon to join the cause." Fred said as he and Boyd approached the door of the Bonaparte Estate.

"Hey, don't give up hope. That may be possible, remember?" Boyd said. Fred smiled slightly.

"You're right, Boyd. Thanks." Fred said. Boyd blushed slightly.

"So, er…I'd better get home. I gotta go to work tomorrow." Boyd said. It was Fred's turn to blush.

"Oh…I'm so sorry that I make you play hooky the past two days, Boyd." Fred said.

"Aw, you didn't make me. I wanted to. I have no regrets about it. I'm glad I did it." Boyd said. There was an awkward silence between the two.

"Well, best be going now. Goodnight, Fred." Boyd said.

"Goodnight, Boyd." Fred said.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

The next morning, the Bonaparte household was buzzing with activity. Fred was cleaning up the mess from breakfast while Lili, Anita, and Raz prepared for their trips. The news was on the TV as Lili, Anita, and Raz packed.

"In other news, the Bug-Eyed Bandit strikes again! Yes, folks, the same masked intruder that has been sneaking onto Psychonauts Private Property for the past year has struck yet again; and yet again, his masked partner who the media has named 'Lynx' has failed to accompany him. We go now to Sophia Tate in Washington for the full story. Hello, Sophia." The anchorman said.

"Oh, I love these Bug-Eyed Bandit and Lynx stories! Those two are great! Turn it up!" Lili called.

"Good morning, Stanley. I'm standing here in front of the Psychonauts Grand Archives building where, last night, the masked intruder that the media has named 'The Bug-Eyed Bandit' for his beetle costume struck again in his most daring break in to date. For a year, this mysterious masked man has snuck into Psychonauts bases all over the world. During his first few months at large, he was accompanied by another masked man that the media calls 'Lynx' for his speed, precision, and grace and stylish cape and who has, in the past month, failed to appear alongside Bug-Eye. Both Lynx and Bug-Eye are believed to be powerful psychic teenaged boys." The reporter began.

"And what makes this case so strange aside from the fact that one of them is dressed like a beetle and the other looks like he wandered away from a Star Wars convention is the targets of their heists. These two are knowledge stealers. They've stolen countless pieces of research and classified documents from Psychonauts databases all over the globe. Not to mention the things that they leave behind." The reporter said.

"The two seem to taunt authorities as they deliberately pass in front of security cameras and flip the bird. Often times, they stand in front of the camera and write the names given to them by the media into the walls, waving and snickering to the camera the whole time. They have pulled many pranks on the locations that they have broken into. They have unhinged doors, written 'Truman Rules, Lerio Drools' on the walls, mixed up mail and other documents, changed screen desktops to feature rabbits, covered chairs in pasteurized cheese spread, written false love letters, hidden toilet seats, changed schedules to feature such activities as nose picking and hallway office chair jousting, rigged speakers throughout the compounds to play such songs as 'the hokey pokey' and 'the llama song', filled offices with frogs, chickens, geese, ducks, and rabbits, replaced cafeteria food with pistachio ice cream, TP'ed the exteriors of the compounds, painted offices outrageous colors, replaced lighting fixtures with Tiffany lamps, put fart machines under desks, removed the ink from every pen in the compound, unplugged every pencil sharpener in the compound, and altered the PA system to make whoever spoke into it sound like they had been breathing in helium." The reporter said. Everyone was laughing.

"Aside from the stealing of classified Psychonauts documents and breaking and entering, these teenaged boys don't really seem to be doing anything very harmful to the locations that they breech. Mostly, their antics have been annoying, but not destructive. However childish the antics are, the boys have been stealing delicate information and that is a serious crime. The two are obviously clever, despite their playful pranks, as they have managed to elude authorities for almost a year now; and still, there are no leads on the case that might help identify who Lynx and the Bug-Eyed Bandit really are or to figure out their motifs, what they actually do with the information they steal, and how they can make such a clean getaway. More on this story after these messages." The reporter said. As soon as the news cut to commercials, the phone started ringing.

"Bonaparte residence. What? Oh, hello Mrs. Tate. Yes, as a matter of fact, I'm watching it now. Some insight? Certainly." Fred said. A few moments later, the news came back on.

"We continue this morning's story on the break in at the Psychonauts Grand Archives by getting an insight into the possible mentalities of our mysterious teenaged bandits. I have world renowned psychiatrist Fredric N. Bonaparte on the line to provide us with that insight. Good morning, Fred." The reporter said.

"Good morning, Sophia. How can I be of service to you this morning?" Fred asked pleasantly. Raz, Lili, and Anita had gathered in the doorway, looking back and forth from Fred to the TV.

"I'm sure you've heard all about the mysterious Bug-Eyed Bandit and Lynx, have you not?" Asked the reporter.

"Why, yes ma'am, I have." Fred responded.

"Would you please share your thoughts as a psychiatrist as to what you believe the men may be like behind the masks?" The reporter asked.

"Gladly, Sophia. I've been following the activities of the two men on the news. Judging by what I know about them, they seem to be very self confident. They believe themselves to be immortal in the sense that they believe they'll never be caught." Fred said.

"What do you think they're doing with the information they steal?" The reporter asked.

"If I had to guess, I'd say they were stealing it just because they have the ability to do so. As they have a clear dislike of Grand Head Lerio, I think they've stolen nothing but this classified information just for the sake of watching the Psychonauts squirm." Fred said.

"So you don't think they were hired to make the heists or perhaps they might be selling the information or maybe even planning to use it against the agency?" The reporter asked.

"I don't think so. They may simply be doing it as a daring show of support for former Grand Head Truman Zanotto. They may believe that their actions might somehow encourage others to know that Zanotto's supporters still remain." Fred said.

"Do you think they may be involved in Agent Sasha Nein's attempted assassination and coup against Lerio?" The reporter asked.

"That's hard to say, Sophia. I would have to go with 'no' on this one. Agent Nein is a brilliant man. His movements against Lerio were carefully plotted. He kept everything quiet so that when the right moment came along, he was ready to make his strike quickly and without warning. These two are obviously cleaver, but, however, are boisterous and daring. They make no moves whatsoever to prevent themselves from being incriminated. They want the world to know that there are those out there who are making this bold stand against Lerio, yet they want to keep their true identities concealed so that they can continue their masquerade and continue to elude Lerio and the Psychonauts; thus, very effectively making Lerio very frustrated." Fred said.

"Well, I'm afraid that we're out of time on this subject. Thank you, Dr. Fredric N. Bonaparte, for sharing your insight with us." The reporter said.

"Anytime, Sophia." Fred said before hanging up the phone.

"And now, on to our next story…" The reporter continued. Fred chuckled.

"Frankly, I'm cheering for the Bug-Eyed Bandit and Lynx." Fred said.

"God, what I wouldn't do to have those two on the rebellion!" Lili laughed.

"I'll bet if you could find them, they'd join you." Fred said.

"That'd be awesome." Lili said.

"They sound like fun." Raz agreed. "But first, we need to recruit the people we know how to find."

Lili nodded.

Since he still had his patients to tend to and really wouldn't be able to do much to help if he accompanied them, Fred was going to remain at the Bonaparte Estate. Anita knew she would only hinder the crusade, plus she needed to get back to the orphanage. She was heading home. As for Lili and Raz; they were preparing to set out for New York City.

"Oh Raaaaaz…." Lili called in a singsong voice. She stood in the doorway looking smug. Her expression was making Raz nervous.

"You know, I simply can't be seen walking around with the late agent Aquato." Lili said. She smirked smugly and pulled a bag out from behind her back. Raz groaned as Lili dragged him into the next room to get him into disguise.

By the time Lili was done with him, he had short black hair and a set of contacts turned his eyes from green to brown. Lili also had him wear a pair of thick, gold framed glasses. She had him dressed in a baggy red t-shirt with some baggy brown cargo pants and a pair of white sneakers. She shoved a royal blue beanie over the black wig and handed him an old, shabby, overly large brown trench coat. But even that wasn't enough to satisfy her. She proceeded to cover his face in a foundation two shades too light for his skin tone to make him look pale. She used a special pencil to give him small wrinkles around his eyes to make him look tired. By the time she was done, Raz looked like an exhausted collage student with no fashion sense on his way home for the holidays.

"That ought to do it." Lili said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. Raz laughed as he examined himself in the mirror.

"I look like a hobo minus the facial hair!" Raz chuckled.

"I thought about giving you some facial hair, but…I decided to go with the 'collage student' look instead." Lili said.

"You did a good job…" Raz said. Lili shrugged and handed Raz a small French to English dictionary.

"Okay, so here's how it's gonna go…" She began. "We'll call you Demetri. You're a collage student in the exchange student program. You're going to Dogan Boole's place to live there for a year and, since I'm his friend and I'm on my way back from a vacation to France, I'm dropping you off there. You speak very little English, so keep that dictionary in your pocket and pull it out whenever you want to say something. Got it?"

"Got it." Raz said.

Not much later, Raz, Lili, Fred, and Anita were all gathered in the main entrance of the Bonaparte estate. Fred hugged Raz and patted him on the back.

"We just got you back and Edgar, Gloria, Sheegor and Sam haven't gotten the chance to see you again yet, so be careful out there, okay?" Fred said. Raz smiled.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be careful." Raz said.

"I want you back here for our big Christmas get-together in one piece." Fred said. Raz chuckled.

"You can count on it." Raz said.

Anita dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief for the umpteenth time that day. Raz sighed and walked over to embrace the woman. Anita hugged him tightly and cried on his shoulder.

"Aw, Anita…I'm not leaving you forever." Raz assured her. "Just give me some time to sort things out. I'll call you every day until I can get my dad up here to France to meet you. You'll see me again before long."

"Promise?" Anita asked.

"I promise." Raz said. "Pinky swear and gypsy's honor."

He linked his pinky with hers and gave her a comforting hug.

"I'm going to miss you so much." Anita whispered.

"I'll miss you too. Watch out for the little ones for me. Tell them I said for them to be good for you while I'm gone." Raz said. Anita nodded and kissed Raz on the cheek. Raz kissed her cheek back.

"I'll be back before you even start to miss me." Raz said reassuringly.

"Zat is impossible, because I already miss you." Anita said. Raz chuckled softly.

"Well, you know, I have to drop by to drop off Christmas presents for my family at the orphanage." Raz said. Anita's expression brightened.

"You mean it?" She asked.

"Of course I do!" Raz chuckled. Anita gave him one last tight squeeze before turning to Lili.

"Take good care of 'im, won't you? Make sure 'e eats enough and dresses warmly and gets plenty of sleep and do not let 'im get 'imself in to too much trouble, eh?" Anita said.

"Anita! I'm twenty years old, not five!" Raz groaned. Lili smiled and the two women shared a brief embrace.

"Don't worry. I won't let him out of my sight." Lili assured Anita.

"Well, your cab's here. You two had better get going if you want to make it through airport security sometime this year." Fred chuckled. The four of them walked outside. Fred and Anita helped Raz and Lili get their belongings into the cab.

"'Ave a safe journey." Anita said as Raz and Lili climbed into the cab. "I'll be staying 'ere with Fred until tomorrow when I catch my train back 'ome. Call me when you land, alright?"

"I will. I'll see you guys in a few weeks. Take care." Raz said. With that, the cab pulled away from the curb and started down the street. Anita waved to Raz until the cab was out of sight.

Just as Fred had predicted (Well, anyone could have forseen it, really) airport security was hell. Lili let out an exasperated and relieved sigh when she finally sank down into her seat on the plane. Raz hesitantly sat down beside her.

"Man, do I ever miss having private transportation." Lili muttered. Raz nodded stiffly. Lili glanced over at him. He looked terribly pale and his eyes were wide. His body was tense and his eyes darted around nervously.

"R…er, Demetri, are you okay?" Lili asked. "You look awful…"

Raz nearly spoke, but clamped his mouth shut, remembering the plan, and fumbled through his pockets to pull out his French to English dictionary. He flipped through it for a moment before speaking.

"No know why…nervous on plane." Raz said, making sure his voice was thickly accented. Lili put an arm around him to comfort him. She was growing very concerned. Raz had never had a problem with flying before.

"It'll be alright. The flight will be over before you know it." Lili said. As the stewardess got on the plane, Lili buckled her safety restraints and Raz fumbled to get his secured. He was beginning to tremble slightly. Lili put a hand on his shoulder. Raz did his best to relax his body. He closed his eyes and focused on taking deep breaths. Lili felt Raz jump under her hand when the plane door shut. A pang of raw fear had just raced through him. A brief image of a plane door opening in mid flight flashed before Lili's eyes, just as it had for Raz.

"What was that?" Lili asked him softly. Raz didn't open his eyes. He swallowed and shrugged. The stewardess finished talking and took her seat as the plane engine roared to life. Raz gasped aloud and gripped the armrest of his seat hard. For a brief moment, Lili felt herself being tossed forward. She couldn't see anything and couldn't move. Her body ached all over. Raz swallowed thickly again. A thin sheen of sweat was beginning to form on his forehead.

Lili pried his hand off of the armrest and took it in her own. Raz's eyes snapped open and looked over at Lili. His breathing was elevated. Lili squeezed his hand reassuringly. He was making her nervous.

"Have you ever had a premonition?" Lili asked softly. Raz shook his head. That relieved Lili somewhat. She just squeezed Raz's hand reassuringly once more.

"You'll feel better once we get into the air." Lili said. Raz subconsciously leaned closer to Lili until their shoulders were touching. He tried again to relax his body. He closed his eyes and focused on taking deep breaths. As the plane began to move down the runway, Raz was as white as a sheet. Faster and faster, the plane picked up speed as it roared down the runway, preparing to lift off. As the plane's speed peaked, Lili could swear she heard a whimper from Raz mixed with the roar of the engines. He had her hand in a death vice of a grip as the plane's nose began to tilt upward.

It was almost like Lili was seeing ghosts. She knew that this was what Raz was seeing in his own mind. Despite it being well lit in the aircraft, it was like she was looking through a fine black mesh. Everything was shadowed. Dark, ghostly silhouettes dashed this way and that as though the seats and other occupants of the plane didn't exist. Lili felt as though she were unable to move. She felt as though she were being jarred by the aircraft taking off much more than she knew she really was.

Raz's eyes were squeezed shut. He let his chin fall against his chest. He moaned ever so softly. He wanted nothing more than to be off of the plane at that moment. A few tears slipped down his cheeks. Lili pulled Raz close, letting his head rest against her chest. He was shaking like a leaf and nearing the point of hyperventilating. It was a hellish eternity before the plane finally leveled out to cruising speed and altitude. The plane's occupants were allowed to take their seatbelts off now. A stewardess walking down the aisle paused when she reached Raz and Lili's seat.

"Is he alright?" The stewardess inquired. Lili glanced over at her. Her nametag read 'Lyn'.

"I guess he doesn't do so well on planes." Lili said. Lyn nodded sympathetically. She handed Raz a paper bag.

"Breathe into that and I'll go get you chamomile tea, honey. It'll help you calm down." Lyn said.

"S-sank you." Raz muttered. Breathing into the bag seemed to help a little. Lili kept her arm around Raz's shoulders soothingly. It was only a few minutes before the stewardess returned with the tea.

"Here you go, sweetheart." Lyn said, setting the cup down on the tray in front of Raz. "By the way, My name's Lyn and I'll be your flight attendant. I've been a stewardess for years and I've seen everything. Motion sickness to people who are just terrified of flying. This stuff works wonders on nervous fliers. It'll settle the stomach with motion sickness, calm your nerves, soothe the airway, and help you to relax."

"Sank you, madame Lyn." Raz said. With just a few sips of the tea, he seemed calmer.

"No problem, sweetheart. Why don't you try taking a nap? It'll help pass the time and we'll be landing before you know it." Lyn said. Raz nodded.

"Thanks. You're a real god-sent." Lili said.

"Aw, it's nothing. I'm just doing my job. Thank you for flying Carcaohtar Air and just push that button if you need anything." The stewardess said, gesturing to the flight attendant call button before walking off to tend to another passenger.

"Feel any better?" Lili asked. Raz nodded slowly. Lili put a pillow on her lap and moved the arm rests out of the way.

"Here. Lie down and try to rest." Lili said. Raz downed the rest of the tea and hesitantly lowered himself down so that his head was resting in Lili's lap. Lili threw the blanket over him and began to stroke his hair. She had never seen Raz so distressed.

Just as the stewardess had said, it wasn't long before Raz had fallen asleep. It was an uneasy slumber, but he was asleep nonetheless. Whenever the plane would shift, Raz would bolt awake with a gasp. Lili's vision would flash red and she'd feel like she'd just been hit. Raz would sit up, look around the plane, and stare nervously at the door before finally calming down. To put it lightly, it was a long flight. The landing was just as bad as takeoff for Raz. It wasn't until the plane was stopped, the door was open, and people were beginning to exit the craft that Raz leaned back in his seat and let out a sigh of relief. He was still pale and shaky. They were the last off of the plane. Lili had to help Raz off.

Once inside the terminal, many people stared at them anxiously, whispering among each other and wondering if Raz was alright. A young man with pale blue skin approached them with a shy smile. He was about the same height as Raz with pale blue skin and pale blonde hair poking out from under a silver helmet. He was slightly pudgy.

"Hi, Lili. Is this the friend you were telling me about?" The young man asked. Lili nodded.

"Yeah. Dogen, this is my friend Demetri. Demetri, this is my friend Dogen. He's going to let us crash at his place tonight." Lili said. Raz raised his hand and tried to smile as he waved hello to his long time friend. He resisted the strong urge to stare at Dogen, glomp him right then and there, and bombard him with conversation. However, Dogen didn't yet know that he was Raz, so doing that would kinda defeat the purpose of his disguise. Plus, Raz was still leaning on Lili, shaken from the flight. He was pretty sure that if he stepped away from her support, he'd fall.

"Gosh, are you alright?" Dogen asked.

"Demetri doesn't fly too well." Lili said. Lili, Dogen, and Raz sat down in the terminal until Raz had stopped shaking and was able to walk unassisted. Dogen and Lili talked animatedly. Raz decided to keep his mouth shut, lest he be tempted to break his disguise. He stuck to just nodding, shrugging, and shaking his head. It wasn't until Raz and Lili went through baggage claim and piled into Dogen's car that Raz was safe to speak.

"God, Dogen…I can't believe how tall you are!" Raz chuckled. Dogen paused and turned to stare at Raz.

"Wait…I've never met you before…and I thought Lili said you understood English, but only spoke French." Dogen said. Lili was beaming from ear to ear.

"Surely I come across as a little bit familiar to you, Dogen!" Raz said. Dogen just stared at Raz. Confusion, conflict, and a hint of denial swirled in his eyes.

"You changed you hat. I like it. It looks good. Do the squirrels still bug you?" Raz asked. Dogen continued to stare. Raz took off the thick gold rimmed glasses he had been wearing and put them in his pocket. He stuffed the royal blue beanie on his head into his other pocket and removed the brown contacts from his eyes. Dogen gasped and visibly stiffened as he saw Raz's true eye color.

"Oh, yeah…and Lili tells me that you still have my old helmet." Raz said as he took a small packet out of his pocket. He tore it open and used the moist towelette inside to wipe the makeup from his face. Dogen went as white as a sheet. He stared at Raz disbelievingly and swallowed thickly. For a moment, Raz thought Dogen might faint.

Without warning, Dogen launched himself from the driver's seat to the back seat and squeezed Raz tightly.

"I-it's you, isn't it?! It really is you!" Dogen cried, grinning madly. Raz laughed.

"I knew it! I knew it I knew it I knew it I knew it I KNEW IT!" Dogen chanted, tears leaking from his eyes. Raz felt tears springing to his own eyes as well.

"Yeah, it's me, buddy. I'm back." Raz said. He hugged Dogen back. "And, boy, have I ever missed you!"

"Oh my god!" Dogen laughed/sobbed. "I missed you so much!"

Lili wiped a few tears from her eyes and smiled as she watched the heart warming and…well, in the back of a car, rather cramped reunion.

"B-but how? Where have you been?" Dogen asked. His expression suddenly darkened. He punched Raz in the arm roughly. Not terribly hard, but more than enough to express his displeasure and leave a bruise. Raz rubbed his arm tenderly. Dogen seized him by the collar.

"Do you have any idea what it feels like to go to your best friends funeral and being told he died a slow and agonizing death!? They put me in therapy for eight months because I didn't believe you were gone!" Dogen said. Raz smiled at Dogen gently.

"And they still couldn't convince you, could they?" Raz asked. A watery smile broke out across Dogen's face.

"Nuh uh." He laughed. "Not for a second."

The two embraced again.

"Thanks for having faith in me, Dogen. It means a lot." Raz said.

"I knew it'd take much more than a non-psychic mad man and a sleeping drug to kill my best friend, Agent Razputin D'Artagan Aquato, World's Youngest Psychonaut." Dogen said. His expression became angry again.

"You're changing the subject! Why didn't you send word that you were alive?" Dogen asked. Lili put a hand on Dogen's shoulder.

"And you! Why didn't you tell me right away that Raz was back?" Dogen snapped.

"Dogen, it's a long story." Raz said.

"Yeah, and we're beat. So, could we just get on the road already?" Lili asked.

"We'll explain everything on the way." Raz assured him. Dogen thought for a moment.

"Alright." He said. He clambered back into the driver's seat and started the car.

Lili and Raz were bring their story to a close as Dogen turned into the driveway of his home. Dogen just sat behind the wheel for a long moment, staring at his own hands.

"Wow…so you don't remember how you got to France or anything like that?" Dogen asked.

"Actually, I have some idea of it now." Raz said. He had paled just slightly.

"The plane?" Lili asked. Raz nodded.

"You saw those images too, then, huh?" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"Raz had some kind of episode on the plane. That's why he was such a wreck when he got off." Lili explained to Dogen.

"Judging by those images I saw, I'd have to say that I was taken to France by plane. Don't ask me why." Raz said. Dogen brushed his own bangs out of his eyes and sighed. A smile broke out across his face.

"Damn…this is just unbelievable…You're finally back after all these years." Dogen said. "And better yet, you're joining the rebellion!"

"Hell yeah." Raz said, giving Dogen a high five. "I just hope the others take my return as well as you have."

"Well, what are we just sitting here for!? C'mon! Let's get out of this damned car already!" Lili said.

Dogen's house was very nice. It wasn't the Bonaparte Estate, but it wasn't an apartment complex either. It was a nice, tidy, two story house with a well managed yard. There were plenty of trees for the squirrels to hang around and, much to Raz's amusement, Dogen kept feeders and little squirrel houses up in the trees for his little fury friends. Raz was quite fond of the quaint house.

"Yeah, well, I guess that's what happens when your parents are loaded." Dogen chuckled as he unlocked the door.

"I always wanted to have available space for visitors. Whenever someone from the old gang comes up here, they stay with me." Dogen explained. "Your dad has actually stayed here before when the circus was in town."

"He did?" Raz asked. Dogen nodded.

"I like your dad a lot. He came by to see how I was doing. He misses you terribly, you know." Dogen said. Raz nodded, a pang of guilt and longing surging through him.

"Well, according to what you've told me, you guys have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow. You guys want something to eat, or would you rather just turn in for the night?" Dogen asked. "I've got a crock pot full of vegetable beef stew going."

"Sounds good to me!" Raz and Lili chimed. Mere minutes later, the three were sitting at Dogen's kitchen table, laughing and chatting as they dined.

"So, you plan to go see Elka tomorrow. If you can't recruit her and Nils, who do you plan to go to next?" Dogen asked. Raz thought hard.

"Well, we've already tried confronting Franke and Vernon…they haven't given us an answer yet…Jt's missing…" Raz said. Dogen cut him off.

"You know, Milla still stops by your memorial back at camp every morning and talks to you." Dogen said. Another pang of guilt and longing soared through Raz's heart.

"That sounds like her." Raz said softly. He sighed.

"I know what you're trying to tell me, but I can't go see her yet." Raz said.

"Why not? Raz, she really needs some comfort right now. Ever since you vanished, she's not been the same, and since Sasha got put behind bars…well…I'm worried about her." Dogen said.

"I think there's a reason Sasha didn't want her involved in all this, Dogen. I think you know that too." Raz said. Dogen sighed.

"I know. I'm just frustrated that the kindest most innocent woman I've ever known is suffering through all this." Dogen said. Raz nodded.

"I'll go to her, just not yet. You wait and see. Once I reveal myself, Milla will be right there beside me before sunset that day." Raz said. Dogen smiled faintly.

"Yeah. You're right." Dogen said.

"How are Ford and Morry doing?" Lili asked.

"Ford is kinda quiet nowadays. Morry is doing the usual thing and trying to act like he's not affected by anything that's going on." Dogen said.

"How about Chops? Are you still calling him once a week to check up on him?" Lili asked. Dogen nodded.

"He's really depressed. Nothing's surfaced that might indicate whether Jt's dead or alive. I'm afraid he's also starting to feel bitter toward Jt. He feels betrayed." Dogen said. Lili sighed.

"I can't say I blame him. Hopefully he'll listen to us. Maybe when he hears the whole story, he won't feel so bad and he'll help us." Lili said. Dogen and Raz nodded in agreement. Dogen looked troubled.

"Lili…" Dogen began. "There's something I gotta confess."

Lili and Raz turned their full attention to him. Dogen stared at the table.

"I-I heard that Sasha isn't doing very well right now." Dogen said.

"What do you mean?" Raz asked.

"Being behind bars has been really hard on Sasha…He's hardly been able to keep anything down and he's sleeping a lot…being confined like that…i-it's hurting him." Dogen said.

"Do you think Lerio has anything to do with it? He's always hated Sasha…could he be doing something to him?" Lili asked. Dogen shrugged.

"I-I guess it's possible…but….you know…I hate to say it…I really do…but, it's not exactly a secret that Sasha's been just a little…erm…well…you know…" Dogen said, moving his index finger in a circle around his ear. "Ever since Lerio started gaining power."

Raz nearly choked on his stew. He stood up and slammed his fists down on the table in utter shock.

"WHAT?!" Raz cried. He looked back and forth from Lili to Dogen. Lili was blushing and looking away guiltily.

"When were you planning to tell me this?!" Raz asked.

"Raz, I didn't tell you because it's really not that significant, I swear!" Lili said.

"Hello?! My MENTOR; the most down-to-earth man I've ever known; is being described as loopy!" Raz cried.

"It's not what you think, Raz! He's not loopy! He's just gotten a little…weird…" Lili said.

"Explain!" Raz demanded.

"I-it's just like little changes in his personality. He just…does some strange things. It's kinda hard to explain. He's still a bloody genius and all that…he just has strange ways of seeing things." Lili said.

"What kind of strange things does he do?" Raz asked.

"He's become a tad cynical…he cracks remarks that you'd expect to come from me…but he voices them in times that even I would hold my tongue. He's also got this really weird thing about lizards…" Lili said.

"Go on." Raz said. Lili scratched the back of her head.

"This lizard thing…he's even worse about it than with the Tiffany lamps. Before he says anything during rebellion meetings, he always searches the room for lizards. Don't ask. I have no idea what it's about. He's become a little superstitious as well." Lili said.

"He's perfectly coherent and all that, he just has a few weird quirks." Dogen assured Raz.

"Kinda like a very watered down version of Boyd's paranoia." Lili said. Raz nodded slowly.

"I guess I'll just have to take your word for it for now." Raz said. "I wish you'd have just come out and told me from the start, though."

"Sorry, Raz. I just thought you had enough to worry about. Besides, like I said, it's really not very noticeable at all." Lili said.

"Anyway…Sasha hasn't spent a lot of time in his lab since you disappeared, Raz. He prefers working in a more open space. He seems to have developed a slight claustrophobia of sorts. I think that is why being in prison is having such a strong negative effect on him." Dogen explained.

"That could be it. He doesn't have control over the situation and he doesn't like being confined." Lili said. "Though I wouldn't rule out Lerio just yet."

Dogen nodded.

"I've learned never to rule him out." Dogen said, a hint of a dark underdone in his voice.

"Man, and I thought I hated this guy before…" Raz said.

"You'll come to loathe and despise him with all your being down to your very core before long." Lili said. She yawned and stretched.

"Mmm…that was really good stew, Dogen." Lili said.

"Yeah, it was." Raz said.

"I'd love to keep on chatting about Lerio and the extent to which I hate him and what I'd like to do to him, but there aren't enough hours in a day and I'm bushed." Lili said.

"Yeah. Me too. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Raz said.

"It's okay. I understand. Besides, I have to go to work tomorrow anyway. Come on. I'll show you to your rooms." Dogen said.

_**To Be Continued….MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!**_

This is a line from the musical Chicago in which one of the 'Seven Merry Murderesses of the Cook County Jail' recounts the night she murdered her husband. She had been carving up a chicken for dinner when her husband stormed in that night in a jealous rage and demanded her to confess that she'd been 'screwing the milkman'. After that…well…as the woman put it…her husband ran into her knife. He ran into her knife 10 times…

Go onto YouTube and look up 'Psychonauts Cell Block Tango'. Someone has done a hysterical video of our favorite Psychonauts characters singing the song. Not only is just the song itself funny, but with the characters…just…oh god it was funny! There were some interesting pairings on that video…

Okay, sorry Fireflyoflight! I kinda overlooked that I had to get our gang to Elka first…hehehe…next chapter they'll find her for sure! Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Lover's Honor!

So, what is Raz and Lili's plan to confront Elka? Will it work or blow up in their faces? Find out in chapter five of Up Against the World!


	5. A Race Against the Clock

(Dodges various unpleasant objects being thrown by readers)

MEEP! Okay! Okay! Here! An update! Chapter five! Take it! Take it and spare my pitiful life!

To Carcaohtar: (Blush!) Aw, thanks! (whew!) I'm glad the 'gay bar' scene didn come off too strongly…thanks, as always, for the review!

To Lyn: # blasted review-eating…thingamabobber! I'm so glad you liked the Bug-eye bandit and Lynx. I think you will be most surprised with them as the story progresses (FORSHADOWING FORSHADOW-Y-NESS-NESS OF DOOOMMMM!) Thanks for the review!

To FireFlyOfLight457: Yay Dogen! Yay next chapter! Thanks for the review!

To LazyCrazySugarHighChick: I'm still in it! E-mail what you've got to me whenever you get the chance and I'll edit it whenever I get the chance XD! Schoolwork of DOOM is killing me here…

**Chapter 5 (About Damn Time)**

Yet again, Raz didn't get much sleep. His dreams were plagued this time by being tossed around unable to move or see in an airplane. He was being assaulted both verbally and physically. Even though he couldn't make out what the voices were saying, he could tell by the tone that the remarks were vicious and directed toward him. After about the twelfth time he'd waken up trembling and in a cold sweat, it was five in the morning, so he decided to spare himself another nightmare and just haul himself out of bed and begin the day. He could already hear someone rustling around in the kitchen.

Dogen froze when Raz walked into the kitchen. After a moment, he smiled at Raz.

"Sorry, it just kinda all feels like a dream still…" Dogen said sheepishly. Raz returned a tired smile.

"Don't worry about it. I'm already used to it. Fred, Boyd, Quentin, Phoebe, and Lili have ogled me the same way ever since I got my identity back." Raz said.

"Did you sleep okay last night, Raz? You look awful." Dogen said. Raz shrugged.

"I've had nightmares every night for over a month. Don't worry about me. I'm used to it. Coffee perks me right up." Raz said. Dogen sighed and slid him a mug of said hot caffeinated liquid.

"Then drink up, pal." Dogen said.

"Dogen, I love you." Raz sighed, taking a sip of the dark liquid. Dogen laughed.

"You haven't changed much." Dogen said. Raz smiled and shrugged. He watched Dogen as he opened the window and invited a few squirrels inside to much on a plate of nuts on the counter.

"And you haven't changed much either." Raz said. Dogen chuckled and shrugged.

"God, for seven years, I've thought about you every day and now that you're here, it's like you were never gone." Dogen said. Raz snorted.

"Wait till the press gets wind that I'm back…that ought to make it feel different." Raz said. Dogen rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. They had a freaking field day with your disappearance. You were on practically every channel. Memorials and biographies, exclusives and inside scoops, and this, that and the other. The media wouldn't leave us alone. It didn't exactly help anyone's mood." Dogen said.

"Yeah, if I recall correctly, my 'death' stirred up a lot of trouble. They had all those petitions for outlawing anyone under the age of 18 from joining the agency and then people wanted to charge Truman with murder for allowing me to stay in the agency…" Raz said.

"Yeah, it got pretty ugly." Dogen said.

"I do not look forward to dealing with the press. They were a pain in the ass when I was a cute little ten year old, they're going to be twice the pain in the ass now that I'm twenty." Raz said.

"Yep. I don't envy you there." Dogen said.

"Morning, boys." Lili said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Lili." Dogen said. Raz and Lili shared a brief kiss before Lili sat down beside Raz. Dogen watched them with a warm smile.

"I always knew you'd end up together." Dogen sighed. Lili rolled her eyes.

"I could have told you that. I took ownership of Raz's ass back when we first met." Lili said. Raz sighed.

"It's true. She owns me. I'm like her dog on a leash." Raz said. Lili suddenly wrapped her scarf around Raz's neck like a collar and leash and sat in his lap.

"That's right, and you won't ever be running away from me like that again." Lili said. She kissed Raz briefly on the lips before slipping her scarf off of him and resuming her seat.

"Yes, master." Raz said with a small smile.

"So, um, I gotta go to work here in a few minutes. Will you two be coming back to spend the night again tonight?" Dogen asked.

"I'm not sure, Dogen. It all depends on how things go." Raz said.

"Oh…m'kay. Well, stay as long as you want and make yourselves at home. My house is your house. Lili knows where I keep the spare key." Dogen said, picking up his coffee cup and briefcase.

"Good luck you two." Dogen said.

"Thanks, Dogen. Have a good day at work." Raz said.

"M'kay. Bye guys." Dogen said. Just as he was opening the door to leave, it burst open, making Dogen stagger backward. Someone darted inside and quickly pushed the door shut behind them. A blonde woman with blue eyes wearing the tell tale uniform of a doctor stood in the doorway, out of breath as she looked out the window to see if she had been spotted.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Dogen…" She said, helping Dogen to his feet.

"Where are they?" She asked. Dogen pointed to the kitchen. The woman looked up and ran to them, beaming from ear to ear.

"Oh my god, I mean…my visions are always right, but still…" She laughed. She reached out and touched Raz's arm to make sure he was really there.

"Elka?" Raz asked.

"Welcome back, Razputin." Elka chuckled. She shook hands with Raz.

"You saw this coming?" Raz asked with a small smile.

"Yes, about an hour ago. I forsaw you coming to meet me and…well…it went terribly arwy…so, I came here to meet you to prevent it." Elka explained, still a little out of breath.

"I already know how you came to be here and what you want to ask me and the answer is yes…" Elka said.

"Yes? You mean…" Raz asked.

"Yes. I'll join the rebellion and I'll tell Nils all about it. I'm sure he'll join too, and I'm already looking for a way to revive Elton, but I can only join under one condition." Elka said.

"What's the condition?" Lili asked.

"You guys need to go to New Jersey right away and find Benny!" Elka said.

"What? Why? Is he in New Jersey?" Raz asked. Elka nodded.

"I saw it in a vision. Benny's definitely in New Jersey." Elka said.

"Why is it so urgent that we find him?" Lili asked.

"Because…the vision was really choppy…but it ended with Maloof and Mikhail both lying dead in an alleyway! According to my vision, I believe Benny still has connections to Maloof. I don't know what's going on, but you have to track Benny down in New Jersey, find Maloof and Mikhail, and prevent whatever the hell is going on from getting them both killed; and whatever is going to happen will happen soon, so action must be taken quickly." Elka said. Lili, Dogen, and Raz gaped at her. Elka's foot tapped the floor impatiently.

"Are you going to stand there and stare like a couple of retarded fish, or are you going to do something?!" Elka asked.

"Of course we will!" Raz said.

"Good. We'll be in contact. Right now, I gotta get to work before someone suspects something. Good luck." Elka said before slipping out the door.

"Well…that was a hell of a lot easier than I anticipated…" Raz said dumbly.

"Come with me. I'll drop you off at the bus station on my way to work." Dogen said.

Just hours later, Lili and Raz stepped off the bus and onto New Jersey soil. The two looked around silently.

"Okay. We're in New Jersey. We got that much done. So…now what?" Raz asked. He and Lili stared at each other and shrugged simultaneously. They both chuckled in embarrassment.

"Okay…uh…well, we can't go door to door and search every home in New Jersey for him…" Lili said. Raz nodded. The two took a seat on a nearby bench and thought. As Raz absently watched the young man working the ticket booth, an idea struck him. He sprung to his feet and turned to face Lili.

"Maybe he's listed in the phone book!" Raz said.

Not sixty seconds later, Lili and Raz were inside a telephone booth searching the phone book.

"Fidel, Bonnie; Fidela, Norman; Fidelea, Ella; ah ha! Fideleo, Benny!" Raz cried.

"Great! Write down the address and let's get moving!" Lili said.

Meanwhile, back in France, a great ruckus was going down at the Bonaparte Mannor. Fred scrambled down the hall in an attempt to evade Boyd.

"Police! Halt!" Boyd yelled as he ran after Fred. Fred grabbed a sword that was mounted on a nearby wall.

"Drop your weapon and get your hands in the air!" Boyd yelled.

"Make me!" Fred cried. Boyd rushed Fred and managed to trip him up. While Fred was trying to regain his balance, Boyd wrenched the still sheathed sword from Fred's hands and used it to sweep Fred's legs out from under him. Once Fred went down, Boyd pounced onto him and wrestled his hands behind his back.

"Gotcha now! I'm taking you down town, buddy! You're under arrest for vandalism, threatening a police officer, resisting arrest, and possession of a deadly weapon." Boyd said triumphantly. Fred smirked at Boyd as they both gasped for breath. Anita laughed and clapped and cheered as she caught up to the two men.

"You may have caught and subdued me, but you've made one fatal error, my friend." Fred panted.

"What might that me?" Boyd asked.

"You've failed to read me my rights. You gotta let me go." Fred said. He laughed and Boyd groaned and cursed as he clambered off of Fred. Anita groaned as well. Fred stood up and straightened out his clothes.

"You were so close zat time!" Anita said.

"You gotta remember to recite their rights, Boyd!" Fred said. Boyd sighed.

"Damn…I thought for sure that I got it right that time!" Boyd said.

"You did great on the pursuit, disarming, and capture, though." Fred said. "Now, what are my Veranda rights?"

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided to you." Boyd recited monotonously.

"Very good." Fred said. Suddenly, he grabbed Anita by the wrist and pulled her to him. So that her back was to his chest. Fred picked up a decorative candle stick off of a nearby table and held it to Anita's head.

"Alright, Officer Cooper. I have a hostage, now! What do you plan to do now?" Fred asked sinisterly. Anita giggled.

"I sink zat ze real question is, what do YOU plan to do wis zat candlestick, Monsieur Fred?" Anita asked.

"Aw, you're spoiling my fun, Anita! Just be a good hostage and fear my candlestick of your waxy doom, won't you?" Fred asked. Anita laughed.

"You fiend! 'Elp! Oh, someone! Anyone! Please, 'elp! Zis deranged mad man! 'E is sretening me with zis sharp, scary candlestick! Someone save me, please! I am too young to wax!" Anita cried dramatically. Boyd and Fred couldn't help but laugh. Fred let out an evil cackle.

"Yes! One step closer, officer Cooper, and ze girl vill be kaput! I vill keel her wis my candlestick of ze vaxy doom!" Fred cackled.

"Release the girl and surrender yourself, Candlestick Caper!" Boyd cried.

"And vat vill you do if I refuse?" Fred asked. "Srow your shoe at me?"

"No, but I've got ten other officers surrounding the place who are ready to throw the book at you!" Boyd said. Fred laughed.

"You sink I vould belive zat? You are stupeeder zan you look if you sink I vould fall for somesing as simple as zat!" Fred said. Boyd took a step closer to Fred and Fred took a step back. With every step Boyd took toward him, Fred would take one step away from Boyd.

"You know, candlestick caper, once upon a time, I worked at a Super Hall-Mart. I worked mostly in the shoe department, and people would spend hours there trying on shoes of every shape, size, color, and style. But you know what? They were never satisfied. The shoes would be too small or too large or the wrong color or the wrong style or too wide or too thin…too classy, too drab, too flashy, too ugly, too pricy…whatever. the point is, no one ever bought shoes from Super Hall-Mart, because their shoe selection and quality sucked. So, whenever you need to buy shoes, you shouldn't go to a Super Hall-Mart; you should go to a store that specializes in shoes." Boyd said. Fred raised an eyebrow at Boyd.

"And how is zat story pertinent to ze situation?" Fred asked. Boyd shrugged. Suddenly, he dashed forward and pulled Anita from Fred's grasp and pushed Fred backwards. Boyd quickly put himself between Anita and Fred and pushed Fred back again, seizing the candlestick from Fred's hand. Fred bumped into the wall and Boyd pounced, wrestling Fred's arms behind his back.

"It meant absolutely nothing. I just made it up to keep you busy." Boyd chuckled.

"You're under arrest for kidnapping and resisting arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the charges against you?" Boyd asked.

"I do." Fred said.

"Do you have any illegal substances on you? Tell me now, or you'll be in even more trouble if I find them when I search you." Boyd said.

"No illegal substances." Fred said.

"Do you have any weapons on you? A gun or knife or anything that might poke me?" Boyd asked.

"I have a pocket knife in my left side pocket" Fred said. Boyd smiled and released Fred. Fred turned slowly to Boyd.

"Well? How'd I do that time?" Boyd asked. Anita crossed her fingers.

"Good thinking on the shoe story. I was so distracted by it that I allowed you to back me into a corner. Well done!" Fred said. "You passed! Congratulations!"

Anita cheered and gave Boyd a quick peck on his cheek.

"Oh! My 'ero!" She said dramatically. Boyd struck a heroic pose and grinned. Fred laughed and rolled his eyes. He patted Boyd on the back.

"You're going to do great tomorrow, Boyd. I know you'll pass." Fred said. He straightened up and brushed off his clothes.

"But right now, I gotta take Anita to the train station so she can get back home." Fred said. Anita hugged Boyd.

"Good luck tomorrow, Monsieur Boyd. I wish I could be zere to cheer you on. I know you will make a wonderful officer of ze law!" Anita said. She kissed him once on each cheek.

"Thanks, Anita. You have a safe trip, okay?" Boyd said. Anita nodded.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Boyd. Get a good night's sleep tonight, go over the stuff we talked about, and eat a balanced breakfast tomorrow morning." Fred said.

"Yes, mother." Boyd chuckled. Fred glared at Boyd playfully.

"Get outta my house, you pest!" Fred said, opening the door for Boyd. Boyd donned a sad expression.

"Well…I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll just…be on my way now…" Boyd whimpered. Fred rolled his eyes and scooped up a handful of snow off of the ground and hurled it at Boyd. Boyd yelped and dashed out of the gates of the Bonaparte Estate.

"You haven't heard the last of me, Bonaparte! I'll be back! You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over, my friend!" Boyd hollered as he took off down the street in the direction of his own home. Fred chuckled.

"Bulls-eye!" Fred said. Anita giggled.

"You and Monsieur Boyd have a very sweet friendship." Anita said. For some reason that Fred couldn't fathom, his heart sunk at her words. He pulled his jacket tighter around him.

"Friendship…right…yeah…I guess we do." Fred said.

**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**

We change our scene to a beautiful theatre in an average sized New Jersey city. The theatre was almost empty. The only people there were the actors as they rehearsed for the opening night of their performance.

Benny Fideleo sighed and rolled his eyes as the dancers on stage tripped over one another. He held up his hands, signaling for the music to stop.

"People, people, people! What the hell was that?! Ladies, you look like your about to go into convulsions! And gentlemen, you look way too stiff! You keep staring at your feet and hopping around like something's biting your ankles!" Benny said. "This is supposed to be a very sensual dance number! I need your movements to be sharp and meaningful, like a big cat on the hunt!"

"The dance is a mixture between tap and tango…" Benny said. "It's all about purposeful and graceful, well calculated, sharp movements."

"Ladies, try to let your body move more naturally and gents, don't be so shy about taking the lead." Benny explained. The actors all nodded, finally understanding the dance.

"Alright, one more time, from the top." Benny said, signaling for the music to start again. Benny was so focused on scrutinizing the dancers that he didn't notice Raz and Lili enter the theatre. Raz and Lili applauded when the dance number ended. It wasn't until then that Benny noticed that he had company. He turned around to see who his audience was.

His expression was a mix of shock, dread, and confusion when he laid eyes upon the two. He paled slightly. An awkward silence settled over the theater. Benny turned to the performers with a sheepish smile.

"R-right. That was much, much better, everyone. Good job. Let's call it a wrap for tonight. I want everyone to practice hard. Next time we meet, I want to see some major improvement. I know you guys will blow 'em out of the water when opening night comes around." Benny said. He wished everyone a good night and dismissed the actors.

Lili and Raz stood patiently in the same spot until the theatre was empty. There was a loud creak as Benny closed the doors. His footsteps echoed as he turned to face Lili and Raz. For the longest time, the theater was deathly quiet. Neither parties said a word.

At long last, Benny hesitantly began to make his way toward Raz and Lili. His slow, uncertain footsteps echoed eerily through the theater. His eyes were fixated on Raz.

"I-is…Is this a trick of the theater lights?" Benny whispered, taking another hesitant step toward Raz and Lili.

"Or a trick of my own mind?" Benny asked softly. He paused a good ten yards from Raz and Lili; squinting to see them.

"Razputin Aquato?" Benny inquired hesitantly. Raz gave him a simple, curt nod.

"I am he." Raz said nonchalantly.

"But you are dead." Benny stated, his tone reflecting that he was deep in thought. Intrigue was the prominent expression on his face.

"So I've been told." Raz said nonchalantly. Benny's gaze shifted to Lili.

"And, naturally, you are accompanied by Lili Zanotto…" Benny said thoughtfully, taking a few more steps toward them. "A slightly less surprising development; but still…intriguing…"

"Good to see you too, Benny." Lili said sarcastically. Raz caught a glimmer of amusement in Benny's eyes.

"Now…what would bring an old acquaintance of mine…the daughter of the former Grand Head, and her deceased boyfriend; the world's youngest secret agent, who is also an old acquaintance, here to this humble New Jersey theater? Is it by chance that our paths should cross, or a reason less mystical?" Benny asked.

"Option B. We've come here to find you." Lili said.

"Somehow, I doubt you're here just to say hello." Benny said.

"Damn right." Lili said. Raz stopped her before she could speak again.

"We come to you with a proposition." Raz said. "We need your help."

"With what?" Benny asked, a glimmer of distrust flickering in his eyes.

"We're recruiting for a revolution." Raz said. Benny's eyebrows climbed up his forehead. He looked interested. He seemed to understand what Raz was getting at.

"We're going to need all the help we can get." Raz said, approaching Benny. "_All _the help we can get."

Benny looked nervous.

"You know where he is, don't you, Benny?" Raz asked. Benny swallowed thickly.

"I don't know who you're talking about." Benny said.

"He's caught up in something dangerous, isn't he?" Raz asked. Benny had the deer-in-the-headlights look.

"We're here to help him, Benny. He's in great danger right now; and if you don't tell us where he is, Elka said that he's going to wind up dead; probably sometime in the very near future." Raz said. Benny paled dramatically.

"What's Maloof gotten himself into, Benny?" Lili asked. Benny took a deep breath and plopped down into a chair.

"The mafia." Benny whispered.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

Sorry…I know…I took forever to update and the chapter is short - - …


	6. Deadly Attractions

To Fireflyoflight457: Yesss! The MAFIA! DUN DUN DUNNN! Here, dry your eyes with this fresh new chapter!

To Lyn: XD! S'okay! Psychonauts and all its characters are awesome! This chapter may surprise you ;)

To Digitaldreamer: SQUEE! So glad you like it! Lyre-19 so happy! This fic is starting to grow on me over Loyalties as well…

**Warning: this chapter contains adult themes such as (Implied to heavily implied and**_** nondescript**_**) rape/nonconsensual sex, violence, and drug and alcohol use.**

**Chapter Six**

"I thought so." Lili said.

"And Mikhail?" Raz asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him in a long time. The last time I saw him, he was trying to kill Maloof." Benny said bitterly.

"Kill him? You're kidding me…" Raz breathed. Benny shook his head.

"Mikhail has been out to kill Maloof ever since the day Maloof turned his back on the Psychonauts." Benny said.

"I refuse that Maloof turned on the agency because he wanted to." Raz said.

"You're right to think that. Maloof did it to protect his family, Mikhail's family, and of course, Mikhail himself." Benny said.

"It started out as an undercover sting. Maloof went undercover to infiltrate the Mafia by becoming a Mafiosi himself. He wore a wire and all that stuff while Mikhail stayed nearby in a hotel or a truck and monitored the wires. The boss figured out that Maloof was actually with the Psychonauts. He managed to destroy the hidden surveillance equipment that Maloof had on him by dousing him with water. Then, he cornered him. He threatened to have Maloof's family, Mikhail's family, and Mikhail all killed if Maloof didn't cooperate with him. He had Maloof make a big scene to prove that he was really with the Mafia; and he's been trapped ever since." Benny explained.

"Why didn't the boss kill Maloof?" Raz asked. Benny's expression turned to one of the utmost loathing.

"Because Maloof is the boss's favorite toy." Benny muttered darkly. "He controls everything about Maloof. He doesn't care if Maloof catches pneumonia running around out in the snow in the dead of winter in those god damned shorts he makes Maloof wear! He doesn't care if Maloof gets hurt! He lets even the other Mafiosi have their way with him; as long as Maloof isn't fatally injured and his face remains unmarred!"

"Holy shit…" Lili muttered.

"So, it didn't take long for the agency to add Maloof to their 'wanted' list. Mikhail was the one that the agency sent to capture Maloof. At first, Mikhail didn't believe that Maloof had really turned; but the agency wouldn't listen to him. It wasn't long before the boss made sure that Mikhail was certain that Maloof had been using him all along. Mikhail hates Maloof for betraying him and breaking his heart. He knew that his mission was only to apprehend Maloof; but that wasn't enough to satisfy him. Mikhail wanted a sweeter vengeance, so he quit the agency and became a bounty hunter so that he could kill Maloof. He's been hunting Maloof ever since." Benny explained.

"How long have you known about this?" Lili asked, seizing Benny by the collar.

"Since I found him face down half dead in an alleyway about a month after he turned traitor." Benny muttered.

"You should have told somebody! You should have come to one of us!" Lili growled. "Just because you didn't become a Psychonaut like the rest of us doesn't mean you're any less important to us!"

Benny froze. Lili's words had rendered him speechless. Lili's expression softened. She loosened her grip on Benny.

"So you didn't run with the rest of the crowd and get a job with the Psychonauts. So what?" Lili said.

"I know I've been gone a long time and that you've probably changed a great deal in my absence…but I do know this…watching you direct those dancers…seeing you up on that stage…I can tell that it's what you were born to do. It's where you belong. I can tell that you have a great passion for theater. It makes you happy; and that's all that really matters." Raz said.

"Raz is right. None of us thinks any less of you for choosing a different profession…as a matter of fact…if you tell anyone I said this, you're dead…but…breaking away from the crowd like that…choosing your own path…it took guts, and you should be proud…" Lili said. "Your friends are proud of you. I'm proud of you."

Benny was truly touched. He stared glassy eyed at Lili. After a few moments, his expression faded into a grim one.

"Then how is it that Maloof was so easily forgotten?" Benny asked softly. Lili scowled.

"We never forgot about Maloof, Benny. The agency was keeping us in the dark about the whole thing. They're the ones who don't give a shit about Maloof. They just accepted the first implication that Maloof had turned, and deemed him a lost cause. They felt like it was a waste of time to look into just one agent gone bad. They dismissed it; and to keep anyone concerned about the situation from taking action, thus depriving the agency of their time; they only put out vague details and refused to say anything more on the subject." Lili said.

"The agency has become corrupt. It's gone to the dogs, Benny. I won't stand for it. Sasha wouldn't stand for it. He had the right idea. He took it upon himself to take action to change things; but because of all the underhanded tricks protecting the higher ups, Sasha had no choice but to play dirty as well. Yes, he was sent to prison, but we can't let that scare us. We need to keep his legacy alive! We need to rise up and do something! If we don't, who will?" Raz asked.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to help Maloof, because we, the rebels…we remember what being a Psychonaut is all about. No soldier gets left behind. Be thou for the people. All that kind of crap Raz used to spew back in our camping days." Lili said. "It's corny, no questions there…but it's what made the Psychonauts heroes all around the world. The world needs those heroes."

Benny bit his lip. Tears were pricking at his eyes.

"Th-that's what Maloof has always wanted to be. The_ Psychonauts_ betrayed_ him_. _They_ abandoned_ him_. They crushed his dreams and ruined his life." Benny said, his voice breaking. "He never did anything to deserve this. It's so wrong! He's innocent, god damn it! All his life, he's been pushed around! I was the one who was always such a fucking prick! If anyone should be suffering like he is, it should be me!

"You say that like you've given up on finding a way to free him." Raz said. Benny jumped to his feet; his face drawn into a snarl.

"You have no idea how many hours I've spent searching for a way to help him! Not a minute passes that my mind isn't examining any possible way to help him!" Benny spat. "I will _never_ give up on him."

A shimmer of warmth rose to Raz's eyes. A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Benny…you're in love with him, aren't you?" Raz more stated than asked.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Everyone paused from their festivities as the door swung open.

In walked a petite, slender, gracefully contoured figure with skin tanned to a heavenly hue of gold. There was plenty of said skin to be seen, as the figure wore (even in the dead of winter) denim shorts that should be illegal in 44 states for their fit. A pair of knee high black , steel-toed combat boots accented the sinfully long legs and made a soft clicking sound as they made contact with the tile floor. A simple, slightly large red sweater hung off of one shoulder, thus accenting the soft slope of those golden shoulders.

Unbeknownst to most, hidden beneath the folds of the sweater, a black holster hugged those smoothly curved hips to add a dash of alluring danger to the figure. Brown curls spilled haphazardly down to frame that familiar face perfectly. Deep midnight blue eyes shimmered in the bright light that the overhead lamp cast over the card players. The eyes danced as an amused smirk adorned those taunting soft lips; hiding the figure's underlying murderous thoughts.

He looked tired and a little pale in the face. However, Maloof Canola never did outgrow being short.

"Hey, baby! Whereya been?" Asked a tall, slightly heavyset man in his late twenties. He kept his long brown hair in a ponytail; completely oblivious to the fact that it was, in fact, the least sexy look for him. He wore a pair of sunglasses just like Sasha's, only, he was failed to be informed that they looked good…on _Sasha_. He wore a fancy pinstripe suit, as is the standard dress of a mob boss.

Maloof smiled coyly at the man and crossed the room to sit on his lap.

"Nowhere important, Boss." Maloof said, his voice like velvet. Maloof caressed the man's cheek sensually. A content, but dirty smirk came to the man's face. He rested his hands on Maloof's knees and let his hands trail up Maloof's thighs to his hips.

"You rang for me?" Maloof asked. The man smiled, greedily eyeing his prize piece of arm candy. The man sighed.

"You're my favorite trophy. Have I ever told you that?" The man asked.

"Yeah, but I never get tired of hearin' you say it." Maloof purred. In all reality, Maloof wanted nothing more than to hurl his guts out and kill the fucking bastard who now had his hands on his ass.

"Whenever you walk by, you leave people drooling. More importantly, you drive our friends in the Russian Mafia insane. Do you know how much money you save me? Just renting you out to the Russians for one night saves me _millions_, sweetheart." The boss said. The very thought made Maloof's skin crawl. He felt so helpless…so defiled…

The boss slapped Maloof's ass playfully, earning a surprised squeak from Maloof. The boss loved doing that.

"I got me a multi-million dollar piece of ass right here." The man gloated. Maloof managed a flirty giggle.

"And I suppose the fact that you put this ass in jewel-embroidered lingerie has nothin' ta do with its heightened value?" Maloof said.

"Baby, your ass is worth millions in a _potato sack_. Besides, it's only the best in designer labels for _my_ baby." Said the boss. Somehow, that didn't quite strike Maloof as flattering. He giggled and smiled anyway.

"I take it that that means you like the new clothes I got you." The boss said, kissing Maloof's neck.

"I love 'em." Maloof said.

He was lying. He hated the short, skin-tight black leather shorts embroidered with sapphires and diamonds that the boss had given him. He hated the delicate sterling silver belt with its delicately inlaid sapphires designed to hang at an angle from his hips to accent them. He hated the overly large white cashmere sweater that hung off one shoulder. He hated the black leather vest that was lined with the fur of rare snow leopard cubs with its sterling silver zipper and buttons and its sash made of the tails of the snow leopard cubs. He hated the black leather fingerless gloves. He hated the knee high steel toed black leather boots lined and trimmed at the top again with the fur of a rare and innocent snow leopard cub.

They served as a reminder of the fact that he was and would always be nothing more than a slave of the mafia. Oh, how he despised to acknowledge it, but the Barbie Girl song by Aqua was the story of his freaking life…The only difference was that Maloof was not a girl with bleach blonde hair and huge jugs.

The really scary thought was that, if the boss wanted it, those differentiating factors between Maloof and Barbie could be eliminated. And it wasn't the doll that would be doing the changing.

The rest of Maloof's miserable life would be dictated by Mafiosi higher on the chain; from the dirty work he was assigned right down to the very clothes he wore. He was theirs to use and abuse in whatever way they damn well pleased until he was inevitably killed; whether that happened at the hands of the Mafiosi getting bored with him or at the hands of one of his many, many enemies.

Maloof often pondered saving them the trouble and just putting himself out of his own misery. Every time he tried, he couldn't seem to go through with it. Every time, something stopped him. Whether it was fear or the overwhelming guilt of having all of Benny's hopes and prayers and encouraging gestures that Maloof would one day be free flutter out the window, Maloof wasn't sure what held him back. But at the same time, he knew exactly what bound him to the living world.

Piercing ruby red eyes.

They made him feel weak in the knees. They made his heart pound. Maloof had a secret desire. He secretly hoped that his ex-partner would take his revenge on him. His ex-partner deserved the pleasure. His ex-partner would be happy; and that would make Maloof happy. Dying didn't seem such a grim thing to Maloof…if it was by _his _hands.

"I'm glad you like them. I want you to wear them tonight." The boss said, interrupting Maloof's train of thought.

"What are we doing tonight?" Maloof asked, his coy smile returning.

"I'm taking you out with me tonight. We're having another sit-down with our Russian Mafiosi friends; and you know how they like to look at you." The boss said. Dread built in Maloof's chest, but he smiled to hide it.

The boss would parade Maloof around for the Russians to ogle; and if they really liked what they saw or just felt like indulging themselves, they would cut the boss a deal in his favor in return for the boss to whore Maloof out to them for the night. When Maloof had these little 'sleepovers' with the Russians, they were free to do whatever they wanted with Maloof. They could send him out to help with the dirty work, serve as a punching bag, or, most often times, entertainment. The only rule that they had to agree to was that Maloof would not suffer fatal injury and his face would not be marred.

The boss let out a hearty laugh.

"Baby, you are the best weapon in my arsenal. The Russians are too distracted with you to pay attention to the deals they're cutting. They loose their poker faces and I always come out on top!" The boss said. Maloof wanted to roll his eyes.

Ruliano was so stupid! He was the boss of Italian Mafia affairs in his region. He was also Maloof's 'master'; the man whose lap he was currently seated upon like some prissy, spoiled little lapdog.

Discovering that Maloof was with the Psychonauts and blackmailing him into servitude was the smartest thing that the cocky, ugly, high school dropout had ever done. Maloof guessed that it was the man's overwhelming lust for him that temporarily endowed him with a sudden burst of smarts that proved to be enough to expose him. The burst didn't last long; but it lasted long enough for Ruliano to seal Maloof's fate. The victory greatly inflated Ruliano's ego.

"Bring a psychic in was the best thing that's ever happened to the mafia! Who cares that they're freaks? You psychics got plenty uh advantages ta make up fer being freaks. I can't believe that someone didn't think to bring a psychic into the ranks sooner! So long as they're loyal and hard workers and have that pure Italian blood, I don't see why psychics shouldn't be allowed into the mafia." Ruliano said. Maloof giggled and cuddled up to his chest.

"Well, big daddy, the mafia ain't never had a genius of your caliber to lead 'em." Maloof purred.

He thought himself to be quite the intelligent, funny, debonair, seductive, persuasive, dangerous gentleman and self-proclaimed sex god. Ruliano believed that he was revered by all, lusted after by many, and the kind of guy that everyone liked.

Psh, like hell he was! Ruliano was just the opposite of what he thought himself to be! The only reason that his men followed him and continued to boost his ego was because he was the boss (and the only reason he got the title was because he was the favorite of his senile old uncle, who had been the well-respected boss before he named Ruliano boss in his stead) and most of the men were just as stupid or, if at all possible, even dumber than their boss was.

The Russian Mafiosi, like Maloof, were well aware of Ruliano's ego; and, unfortunately for Ruliano, they were _genuinely _intelligent. They would ensure that, in the end, Ruliano's ego would be his downfall.

Preparations for Ruliano's downfall were, in fact, being made at that very moment in a strip club just across town.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Benny's expression saddened.

"I'm not the one he was meant to be with." Benny said softly. Raz put a hand on Benny's shoulder and nodded understandingly.

"Why do you say that?" Lili asked.

"Maloof belongs with Mikhail." Benny said. Lili raised an eyebrow at Benny.

"Uh…hello!? Didn't you say that Mikhail wanted to _kill _Maloof?" Lili asked. "Okay, I'm officially lost."

Benny and Raz looked at each other and exchanged a look that told of shared, unspoken understanding; and Lili was the odd man…er…girl out.

"I understand what Benny is getting at." Raz said.

"Well I don't!" Lili said.

"It's…very hard to explain…" Raz said, searching for a possible way to word his thoughts.

"It's just something I can feel. He and Mikhail belong together. Somehow…whatever happens between them…that isn't going to change." Benny said. Lili pondered this for a moment. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and shrugged.

"Whatever, Dr. Phil." Lili muttered.

"Well, it's like the bond that we share, Lili." Raz said, slipping his arms around Lili's waist.

"We're meant to be together. You, and I, and everyone around us knew it from day one. Even after I was believed to be dead, you didn't have any interest in any other person. You were at peace. You knew that we belonged together. It was the same with me, Lili. Even though I didn't remember who you were, I always felt that I already knew who I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. I never took any interest in anyone else." Raz said.

Feeling his arms around her…looking into those green eyes; brimming with some indescribable _something_…It made Lili feel weak in the knees. Her heart fluttered, her breath caught in her chest…she felt sick, but it was a good kind of sick. She got a natural high off of it and she loved it. Her walls came tumbling down and she knew that that same indescribable something had come over her own countenance. Raz made her feel like she was something beautiful…a real woman…and, she'd never admit it, but she loved how he and no one else could made her turn to putty in his hands.

Raz smiled that heart-melting smile and gently grasped her hands in his.

"This feeling." He said simply. Lili nodded slowly. Benny smiled sadly and nodded as well.

"That's the one. I don't know what to call it, but when Maloof even thinks about Mikhail…every star in the heavens appears in his eyes." Benny said softly.

"I have no business coming between them. My place right now is to be his friend…someone to lean on. I need to keep my feelings to myself. I just need to be patient. Someday, I'll find someone who feels the same way about me as I feel about Maloof." Benny said. Raz patted Benny on the shoulder.

"Not everyone is so strong, Benny." Raz said. A small smile came to Raz's face. "You really have changed."

Benny smiled back at Raz and stood.

"So, what is my first assignment as a rebel?" Benny asked. Raz smiled at Benny.

"Our first priority will be to secure our comrades." Raz said. "We need to find Maloof before disaster finds him first."

"What's the plan?" Benny asked.

"Well, let's get to work on one." Raz said.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Tall and with well defined muscles, Mikhail Bulgakov was nothing to laugh at. His defiant stance, stone cold expression, and piercing ruby red eyes made him a very intimidating figure. Mikhail's appearance had become the very definition of badass.

He'd gotten rid of the comically large red fur hat he used to wear, which put his short, jet black hair in plain view. He had a single piercing in his left ear. Around his neck was what appeared to be a simple black leather choker necklace with silver spikes, but the black leather concealed a thin metal plate that would protect his neck during a fight. The same went for the matching bracelets…or more appropriately, gauntlets on his wrists. He wore a black t-shirt with a dark red turtleneck under it (which concealed a protective vest), a pair of black cargo pants (several of which's pockets were concealing weapons), and a pair of black steel toed combat boots.

What, may you ask, was Mikhail doing in a strip club? Well, hold your horses, I was getting to that…

As I said, Mikhail was standing there looking scary and sexy while he guarded the door (from inside the room) of one of the club's private rooms. He listened intently as the four men inside the room conversed in his native tongue.

"We need to talk about Ruliano." Said an older gentleman with graying hair. The other three men sneered.

"He's been cutting us some pretty crappy deals as of late." A bespectacled man agreed. The others nodded.

"Yeah. He thinks that letting us borrow that cute little piece of ass that he keeps on his arm that we'll agree to any deal." Said a man with a dark beard.

"He's a nice little toy for certain. Hard worker, does a good job, can take a beating like you wouldn't believe…puts up a real fight when you try to get him into bed, but hey, once he's too exhausted to fight back anymore, it's well worth the struggle." A dark haired man around the same age as Mikhail said with a lecherous grin. The other men chuckled.

"I'm not saying he's not a nice toy. It's just that Ruliano is starting to overplay his value. We're getting some pretty undervalued compromises in exchange for being allowed to play with Ruliano's toy. Ruliano's getting cheap on us." Said the man with the glasses.

"I agree. He's getting way too big for his britches." Said the man with the beard.

"He's been infringing on our territory and profiting off our spots. He's overstayed his welcome." The dark haired man agreed.

"My thoughts exactly." Said the older gentleman.

"So, what do you want us to do, boss?" the dark haired man agreed. The older gentleman smirked.

"Tonight, we'll be having another sit-down with our dear friend Mr. Ruliano. This time, it will be us who decides the deal. Our deal will be this: we're cutting Ruliano out of the picture permanently." The older gentleman said. The others smirked as well.

"You planned this all along, didn't you, Boss?" Asked the dark haired man. The older gentleman chuckled softly and nodded.

"I've been accepting shitty deals to build Ruliano's already over inflated ego." The older man said.

"It should be easy taking care of him." Said the man with the glasses. The man with the beard nodded.

"You're one sharp tack, Boss! I see what you've done! Ruliano has become overconfident. He believes we don't realize that he's been giving us the short end of these deals. He thinks he's 'worked his charm' on us and that we don't suspect a thing. He thinks he's earned our trust. The fool will waltz right into our trap without suspecting a thing. He won't even see the need to bring a body guard! " the dark haired man sneered.

"Boy is he in for a big surprise tonight." The man with the beard chuckled.

"So, who's going to make the hit?" The man with the glasses asked. Mikhail approached the men intently.

"Excuse me, sirs…but would you grant me the privilege of acting as body guard during that sit down?" Mikhail asked. "I fear for your safety, sirs. As you said, Ruliano is overconfident. There is a possibility that _he _may be planning to take _you _out of the picture."

The four men pondered this for a moment.

"You have a good point, Bulgakov." The man with the glasses said.

"Sirs…have I been a good soldier to you?" Mikhail asked. The four men looked back and forth from one another to Mikhail.

"Yes, son. You've been an excellent soldier to us. One of the best." The older gentleman said.

"Would I be imposing to request a favor?" Mikhail asked.

"That depends on the favor." The man with the glasses said.

"Please…once Ruliano is dead, would you allow me to deal with his consort?" Mikhail asked. The four men looked back and forth from each other to Mikhail.

"Why do you ask for this?" The man with the glasses asked.

"What do you intend to do with him?" The dark haired man asked. The older gentleman raised his hand to silence the two.

"That is not important. Bulgakov, you have proven yourself to be a loyal, diligent, hard working man. You've never complained or hesitated to do what you've been asked or failed to complete a job. You've never caused any trouble or asked anything of any of us." The older gentleman said.

"In light of all of this, I will grant you your request as a reward for your service. You will accompany us to the sit-down tonight, and once Ruliano is dead, his consort is yours to do with whatever you please." The older gentleman said. Mikhail bowed respectfully to the man.

"You have my deepest gratitude, sir." Mikhail said.

"Well, with that said, meeting adjourned." Said the older gentleman. "Everyone meet back here at nine o'clock tonight prepared for our little meeting with our friend Mr. Ruliano."

Mikhail got back to his apartment as quickly as he could. Once inside, he locked the door and closed the blinds. He strode into the bedroom and opened the bottom drawer of his dresser. An entire deadly arsenal was stored inside. A cold, satisfied smile crept onto Mikhail's face as he studied his arsenal. He picked up his hand gun and its cleaning kit and sat down on the bed.

He opened up the cleaning kit and began maintenance on the gun to prepare it for the sit-down. Mikhail could care less about Ruliano. Killing him would be tediously easy. It was Ruliano's consort that Mikhail was so eager to get his hands on. Just the thought of it was almost enough to make Mikhail shudder with anticipation.

At last, after two long years of busting his ass to find him and several unsuccessful encounters, Mikhail would finally feel those soft brown curls and that smooth golden skin under his hands once again. Yes. How wonderful it would be to seize that little traitor by the hair and beat that smooth golden skin black and blue.

And those eyes. Those midnight blue eyes that seemed to contain the heavens themselves in their depths. Oh, yes. The traitor would be seeing stars tomorrow night; that is, until Mikhail shot them down one by one. After tomorrow night, there would be no more stars to light up those midnight blue eyes. Those eyes would be overcast by clouds; dark, listless, and dull by the time Mikhail was finished.

Oh, how he relished the thought! Maloof Canola would rue the day that he betrayed Mikhail Bulgakov!

Mikhail honestly believed that Maloof completed his life…right up until the day he destroyed it.

Yes. There was a time when Mikhail's feelings toward Maloof had been simply indescribable. That four letter word…love…it just didn't seem to express the feeling to its fullest magnitude.

As we all know, Mikhail's relationship with Maloof had started out innocently enough. Maloof was always on the small side and was the butt of more than his fair share of ridicule. Mikhail was tall and strong and new to the USA and didn't have any real friends. He also happened to have a good sense of justice.

Mikhail wouldn't tolerate seeing the smaller boy bullied. He hated to see people cry. So, Mikhail took a stand and chased off Maloof's tormentors. The two became fast friends. Soon friendship turned to partnership.

For almost a year, the operation to infiltrate the mafia went smoothly. Maloof, being the little New Jersey firecracker that he was, would pick a fight; and if he got in over his head, Mikhail would be right there to bail him out, laugh at him (which would throughtly piss Maloof off), and lecture him. Said lecture would go in one ear of the stubborn, hard-headed teen and right out the other, and the cycle would begin again.

It wasn't long before their partnership turned to courtship. For Mikhail, nothing gave him a bigger rush than to simply sit on the couch in the dark and watching a movie with Maloof cuddled up to his chest.

Their relationship had always been simple like that. It wasn't just because Maloof was under aged; it was more that Mikhail was contented merely to be with Maloof. He liked their relationship just the way it was; slow and steady. He didn't see any need to take it to the next level. Life was good for Mikhail…that is, until he discovered that Maloof had been stringing him along like a puppy on a leash all along.

"_Yeah, we had a cute little thing going between us...five years ago back in summer camp. I know how you love to protect me; so I let you. You've got a great ass, a face carved by angels, the sinewy body of a god, and gorgeous eyes…and not a bad personality either. You also had the perfect measure of obliviousness. I let you think that I was some naïve, short tempered guy with height issues who always seemed to get in over his head. In reality, I've been more than capable of protecting myself for years now. My family…my fellow Mafiosi…they taught me how to fight! They helped me develop my street smarts and taught me how to be underhanded so that I could dupe saps like you! Nothing personal, cutie. It's just the way we take care of business here in New Jersey." _

That may have convinced the agency, but Mikhail didn't believe a word. Mikhail was assigned to take Maloof down. He managed to track Maloof down and confronted him.

"_I was never with the Psychonauts! I started working for the mafia not even a month after my dad got whacked! I've been with them for two years, Mikhail; right under your nose! I've been an inside spy for the Mafia since day one!"_

Mikhail was so confused. Maloof got away easily. Still, Mikhail refused to believe that, after all the beautiful moments that they had shared, Maloof didn't love him. He refused to give up on Maloof. He refused to believe that Maloof was a traitor.

"_All muscle and no brains. You are an idiot, Bulgakov! I can't believe you actually bought all that lovey-dovey shit! You're such a sap! God, it was so god awful it took everything I had not to gag!"_

He had laughed. Maloof had laughed as he said those words. His eyes had been so cold and convicting. The words had cut Mikhail so deeply that he could only watch as the love of his life disappeared from sight yet again. Mikhail was in denial. It couldn't possibly be true! He loved Maloof and Maloof loved him back! They were meant for each other! They were soul mates! They belonged together! Mikhail couldn't stand it! He needed Maloof! Maloof was everything to him! He had become infatuated…obsessed with finding him. Mikhail had to try one more time.

"_It was fun while it lasted, hon; but get it through your thick skull already: Tiny. Boss. No. Need. Misha. Tiny boss no give rat ass about Misha. Misha stupid. Tiny boss trick stupid Misha. Stupid Misha go back to cave home with bears in Russia now and get hell out of Tiny Boss's sight before Tiny Boss throw up. You annoy tiny boss."_

Then, one of Maloof's Mafiosi friends shot Mikhail in the arm. With Mikhail overcome by physical and emotional pain, Maloof and his friends made yet another easy escape.

Mikhail wandered soullessly around the city for days without food, water, or rest. He didn't return to his hotel room, he didn't change his clothes…he didn't even try to bother with doing anything to treat the gunshot wound to his arm. Those few days were a blur of an empty, cold, throbbing ache that gripped Mikhail so utterly…it was all over his body…it was stabbing his heart…it plagued his mind…it was ripping at his very soul.

Eventually, Mikhail collapsed somewhere and an upstanding citizen found him and called an ambulance. Mikhail often found himself wishing that he hadn't been found. He wished that he'd just been allowed to die. It would have spared him so much pain. He woke up in small city hospital a few days later. For many days following that, a fluid drip and a sleeping drug were the only things keeping Mikhail alive. That throbbing was still there. He wouldn't speak, he wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep, and he wouldn't drink.

One day, as he wasted away in that hospital bed…a wisp of his own consciousness that still stirred within him acknowledged that he had lost his will to live. So, Mikhail closed his eyes and waited for death's welcome release. But, lying there waiting to die, that wisp of consciousness brought him to realize that, although he had lost his will to live, his obsession with Maloof lived on; and it wouldn't let Mikhail die…

And so it came to be that Mikhail was forced to live on; but for the sole purpose of end his obsession with Maloof so that Mikhail could finally be allowed to die.

It was Maloof's fault. It was all Maloof's fault.

At one time, Mikhail lived to see the heavens themselves sparkle back at him in Maloof's midnight blue eyes. His smile, his laugh, his scent, his hair, his face…every aspect of Maloof infatuated Mikhail. His obsession of love quickly became an obsession of hate. He hated how Maloof made him love him so.

His fantasies of inspiring Maloof's eyes to sparkle…of coaxing a smile onto his lips…of luring forth his musical laughter…of stealing a sweet kiss…they all became dark and twisted.

He instead fantasized of striking fear into Maloof's eyes….of eliciting beautiful screams of agony and terror from his lips…he wanted to see Maloof broken on the floor. He _wanted _to see Maloof cry. He wanted to taste Maloof's sweet blood and spill it onto the cold, hard ground.

One thing that didn't change was that Mikhail still longed to steal one more kiss from Maloof.

He would wait until Maloof was broken and crying on the ground. He wanted Maloof to fear him. He wanted to make sure Maloof knew that he was no longer 'the sap he had duped'. He would show Maloof how ruthless he could be. Maloof would feel the same coldness that he had shown Mikhail. Maloof would experience the same helplessness he felt as a child before he died. Mikhail would dominate Maloof so utterly that Maloof would just lie on the ground curled up into a ball with his eyes squeezed shut and his ears covered and cry; but Mikhail wouldn't let him do that. He would continue to terrorize Maloof until Maloof was but a shadow of his former self.

All conscious thought would be beaten out of him. He would be naught but a frightened, helplessly trapped animal facing his last few moments of life. That was when Mikhail would do it. He wanted Maloof to get a taste of the passion that he instilled in Mikhail. He would pin Maloof beneath him and take that last kiss from Maloof and see the look in his midnight blue eyes. One last time, he would trail his mouth down Maloof's neck and caress his blood-matted curls and his soft face. Once Mikhail's trail of kisses reached Maloof's collarbone, Mikhail's hands would have trailed down to rest on Maloof's neck.

The strike would be sudden and swift. With his bare hands, Mikahil would size Maloof's neck. His fingers would dig into that soft, warm flesh until his knuckles turned white. With all his might, he would constrict Maloof's neck; and he'd watch and laugh as he watched the last of Maloof's life drain from his eyes.

Then, his vengeance would be complete.

For over a year now Mikhail had been waiting for this night. Mikhail had several previous encounters in which he had tried and failed to kill Maloof. Maloof had just been lucky; he had managed to escape Mikhail thus far. Mikhail would make sure that all the luck in the universe wouldn't spare his prey from him this time.

Mikhail had it all worked out this time. He, like Maloof, had disguised himself and worked his way into the mafia. The Russian mafia. Mikhail knew that Maloof would never expect to run into Mikhail on Maloof's playing field. It would be all the sweeter beating Maloof at his own game. It would make Maloof's obliteration all the more complete; thus, for Mikhail, all the more satisfying.

Yes. It was the perfect plan. Mikhail would soon have his revenge. The time was near. In just hours, Mikhail would finally end his obsession with Maloof Canola once and for all.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

With shaking hands, Maloof loaded the hypodermic needle to the max and jabbed it into his arm; wincing at the momentary pain, but sighing in relief as the drug filled his veins. He allowed himself to collapse onto the floor.

He stared at the ceiling as his hands mechanically went to his pocket to remove and light a cigarette. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he deeply inhaled the nicotine-loaded smoke. He propped himself up against the table and reached up to grab the bottle of liquor. He took a long draft of it before taking another drag of his cigarette.

He was addicted. He knew he was. He hated his addiction, but sometimes, it was the only thing holding his mind together.

Morphine offered him a brief release from the maelstrom of guilt that raged constantly in his mind. For some short period of time, the drug would wipe his mind clean of any and all thought; allowing Maloof some blissful period of numbness.

He would be free from the pain of the beatings he received; but more importantly, his mind would go blissfully blank.

He would forget his own helplessness. He would forget the abuse he suffered. He would forget his captivity. He would forget that he was doomed to forever go on living by the whims of a perverted, stupid, ugly, gay mob boss. He would forget that he was living a lie. He would forget the screams, and pleads…the cries and sobs of the victims of the crimes he was forced to commit. Their faces and eyes filled with terror would blur into nothing.

He would forget that he had no friends. He only had enemies, and worse enemies. Ally and enemy would meld and fade. He would forget about everyone…police, other criminals, former friends…being after him. He would be immune to the agony of abandonment. He would forget his own betrayal. He would be free from the pain of thinking about _him._

A grim smile came to Maloof's lips.

Yes. Once the drug overcame him, all thoughts plaguing him would cease. Mikhail would be meaningless to him.

A mix between a chuckle and a sob escaped Maloof.

What would Mikhail think if he saw Maloof now? Like this? Doing drugs and writhing in self hatred over his life. A whore of the mafia in appearance and action. A flunky to a greasy mafia-boss wannabe high school drop out. A puppet on a string. A Barbie doll who's every action was dictated by its owner.

Maloof collapsed onto the floor and stared up at the ceiling absently.

"_Benny wouldn't be too happy about this either if he found out…" _Maloof thought to himself blandly. He just shrugged and brought the joint back to his lips. He could feel the effects of the drug beginning to numb his body and emotions.

Maloof sighed, letting his eyes slip closed. His body was beginning to feel heavy and his mind was slowing. His hurricane of maddening thoughts slowed to a gently wafting breeze. Faces of people he knew danced gently in and out of sight.

He thought about Benny.

His passion for theater was great. He loved his job.

Whenever Maloof could, he'd show up at the theater to watch rehearsals. Maloof knew every line spoken or sung…every tune of every song…every step of every dance in every play that Benny had performed. He knew them so well that Maloof would often fill in for absent actors during rehearsals or help demonstrate or direct scenes.

In his drug-dazed train of thought, Maloof thought of Benny himself as a sort of drug. It was times such as those, when he'd be in the theater with Benny during rehearsals, that Benny could sometimes make Maloof forget all his troubles. It was times like that that Benny could bring a smile to Maloof's face….why, he could even make Maloof laugh!

Benny was the only person that cared about him. Ever since Benny found him face down in the gutter a month after Maloof first betrayed the agency, Benny had been there for Maloof.

Funny, successful, independent…Benny was doing well for himself. He had developed into a kind and passionate man. Benny had picked Maloof up off of the streets that night a month after Maloof had turned traitor. Benny had carried Maloof to his house, treated his injuries, fed him, and comforted him.

Benny didn't mind that Maloof was in the mafia. For reasons far beyond Maloof's comprehension, Benny thought no less of Maloof.

But Benny did _care._ Benny _cared _a great deal that Maloof was in the mafia. He was always trying to think of some way to get Maloof out.

Benny would never turn Maloof in to the police. Benny still had hope for Maloof, even when Maloof had none for himself. Maloof knew that he was always welcome at Benny's place. Benny was always there to soothe Maloof's injuries and give Maloof a shoulder to cry on.

Maloof chuckled softly to himself. He took another drag of his cigarette.

It had been a long time since Maloof had last cried in front of Benny. He had learned to deal with abuse and pain of all sorts. Nightmares, rape, voices and visions of innocent victims, beatings, police chases, sit-downs, gang fights…Maloof had seen it all. Experienced it all. Rather than burdening Benny with his problems, Maloof toughened up and handled them himself. He was no longer the crybaby that he used to be. He was a hardened New Jersey Mobster…at least…that's the front he put up.

Maloof couldn't help but feel touched when Benny fussed over him. Benny was constantly concerned about Maloof. Every time they saw one another, Benny would fuss that Maloof needed to eat more and dress more warmly; all the stuff that friends and family would say to each other.

Benny was the only one who could make Maloof feel…loved. Smiling…laughing…feeling light and joyful and without care…they were things Maloof experienced nowhere else but there in the theater with Benny.

Well…almost nowhere else. There was one other thing that could give Maloof a natural high.

_Mikhail _

Every time he heard that name…every time he saw something that reminded him of his ex-partner, there would be a brief second when Maloof's heart would skip a beat and begin to flutter wildly. His breath would catch in his chest and heat would rise to his cheeks. It was only for a brief, fleeting second.

After that second, it would all come rushing back to him.

Maloof had said so many horrible things to Mikhail. Mikhail had been shot because of him.

Maloof lied Mikhail. He_ had_ to do it! If he hadn't, the Mafiosi would have beaten Maloof until he was barely coherent, then BANG!

But it would not be for Maloof. Oh, no.

First, it would be Mikhail's family. Then, Maloof would be forced to watch as Mikhail reached the peek of suffering, mourning over the loss of his family. Then, Mikhail would be beaten to the brink of unconsciousness right in front of Maloof, and then…

BANG!

Mikhail would be the next to go. It would be Maloof's finger on the trigger, too. The Mafiosi would put the gun in Maloof's hands, hold Mikhail still, and pressure Maloof's hand until his finger squeezed the trigger. Then, Maloof would be forced to dig a hole and burry Mikhail himself. As soon as that was done, another beating would ensue, then it would be off to Maloof's house…The Canola Oil Diner.

BANG!

The same way as it happened with Mikhail, Maloof would be forced to kill his own mother, dig a hole, and bury her. There would be one more beating, then …

BANG!

Finally, Maloof would get his bullet and it would all be over.

The beatings, Maloof couldn't care less about. He couldn't care less if the Mafiosi tortured him to a slow and agonizing death; so long as Mikhail and his family were spared from any sort of suffering. He could never live with himself…or die with himself for that matter…if he allowed something so horrible to befall his soul mate.

Yes, Maloof was as in love with Mikhail as Mikhail was in love with Maloof. Of all the passion filled words of romance in all the plays Benny had performed, Maloof could never find the words to describe his feelings for Mikhail. Mere words were but sweet nothings when if came to Maloof's love for Mikhail.

Every day, going through life without Mikhail and being reminded of his betrayal of Mikhail was more painful than any beating Maloof had ever taken.

Every hateful word he had to say to Mikhail to keep Mikhail away was more painful than any stab wound; and when Maloof gave the signal for one of his fellow Mafiosi to fire the pre-planned non-fatal shot to Mikhail, it was more agonizing than any bullet Maloof had ever taken.

But, it kept Mikhail from sniffing about. It made Mikhail find Maloof repulsive.

It was a comfort to Maloof that Mikhail found him repulsive. Mikhail deserved much better. Maloof had grown hardened and rough. His innocence was gone. He was sullied, defiled, and marred. Mikhail deserved purity and innocence. Mikhail deserved someone gentle and soft.

It was _good _that Mikhail hated him. Mikhail would be able to kill him without any remorse and he'd find someone he deserved with whom he and his family could live happily ever after.

Maloof was _glad_ that Mikhail hated him.

Why, Maloof had even convinced himself that the soul wrenching tears he cried into his pillow when he thought about Mikhail at times like this were tears of joy.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Will Raz, Lili, and Benny find Mikhail and Maloof in time to prevent Elka's vision from coming true, or will they arrive too late? Find out in the next exciting installment of Up Against the World!

**A Notice to My Friends, the Readers:**

M'kay, you guys. I have something to tell you all that fills me with squeetastic glee and gut wrenching dread, because you probably won't be happy with me about it.

I've been invited to the People to People Student Ambassador Program on a trip to visit the Imperial Capitals of Europe (Raz's homeland of Lithuania, Mikhail's homeland of Russia, Sasha's homeland of Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia), and, as long as I can scrounge up the money, my parents are going to let me go! ULTRASQUEEEEE (x1withanumberofzerosbeyondwhichthereisanumbertoexpressit)!!!!!

This, unfortunately for you, means that I will have time to update even less often than I am now. The sum of money that I shall have to come up with is an estimated $6,000.

So, on top of my schoolwork, drama club (again, you will not like me for this…I landed the lead role…AGAIN! SQUEE…SCREAM(dodges pointy object)), my volunteer work as Teachers Assistant at my school with a Geography class and a Science class of 17 kids 2nd grade and under (the teacher really does benefit from my help, bless her heart), plus the art club booth at the flea market (which, bless my art class, since the booth was my idea to raise money for the school, they insist on channeling a cut of our earnings to fund my trip!), I'm getting a job at Walgreens! - …0 0 EEEK! (dodges another pointy object)

- - so, in short, for the next…lots of months, I'm going to be one overloaded 16-year-old….

(dodges hailstorm of pointy objects)

Reviews help hasten the search for Mikhail and Maloof and give me energy to complete shitload of tasks I must do! Leave a review!


	7. Fatal Encounters

To Fireflyoflight457: I hoped for as much, but it's always nice to hear it )

To Digitaldreamer: Yes. I am VERY busy XD. I'm trying to work ahead in my schoolwork to make time for it all. I'm going to be in your shoes next year…Trench coat, eh? I think that can be arranged….MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks so much for the review! It was a real motivational booster!

To Lyn: I know what you mean! I too find the Mafia to be fascinating. I think it's the way they carry out justice within the group...the sense of honor they have...that is so appealing. Thanks so much for the well wishes!

And now, I give you this special Thanksgiving Edition chapter of Up Against the World; low-calorie version so you can still enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and packed with extra suspense and action to get those hearts pumping so you can burn off a few of those Thanksgiving meal calories without ever leaving your seat XD!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

**Chapter Seven**

Maloof's eyes snapped open with a start when he heard a knock on his door. He rubbed his eyes pulled himself up off of the floor. He cursed under his breath as he glanced at the clock.

"Hey, Maloof? You in there?" A voice called.

"Yeah, Jackie. Just a sec." Maloof called back. He grabbed the morphine and needle and hastily stuffed them into a drawer. He dusted off his clothes and answered the door. A young man just a little older than Maloof stood before him.

"'Sup, Jackie?" Maloof asked casually.

"Nothin much, man. You look a little ruffled. Did I wake you up?" The young man asked. Maloof shrugged.

"Forget about it. I was just taking a little nap. No biggie." Maloof said. "So, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Oh, I just dropped by to give you the directions for your _dinner date _tonight." The young man said, winking at Maloof as he handed Maloof an envelope.

"It's got the time and place and directions on how to get there." The young man said.

"Thanks, Jackie." Maloof said.

"No problem. See you around." The young man said. Maloof said goodbye and shut the door behind him. He leaned against the door and rubbed his temples.

"Great, now I gotta deal with the Russians half-stoned and with a hangover…" Maloof grumbled to himself. He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "Shit…I don't even have any ammo for my freakin' gun…"

Maloof sat down on his bed deep in thought.

Should he get ready first, or go out for ammo first?

Maloof's eyes wandered again to the clock. He cursed a second time and fumbled frantically for his cell phone.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

"They have guys watching Maloof's mother and Mikhail's parents?!" Raz cried.

"Of course they do, Raz! Do you think for a second that I'd let them remain in constant danger like this if their houses weren't guarded and the mafia didn't know my name?" Benny asked.

"They know your name?!" Lili asked. Benny nodded.

"Duh! The boss keeps tabs on Maloof 24-7! He knows that I'm a close friend of Maloof's." Benny said. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a long scar that had obviously once been a gaping wound that had to be sewn shut by a long line of stitches.

"And I've been appropriately warned to stay away from Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents." Benny muttered darkly. Raz and Lili paled.

"I'm lucky to still be alive. If Maloof hadn't gotten down on his knees, promised multiple…favors...to a few choice people, and pleaded for my life, they would have killed me. The mafia agreed to let me live so long as I didn't go near Maloof's mom or Mikhail's parents or speak to anyone who knew anyone who knew Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents." Benny said. "If I disobey, I was promised that I'd get a front row seat right next to Maloof to witness the murders of Maloof's mom, Mikhails parents, and Mikhail before I got beaten and killed myself."

"These guys have people everywhere. Cops, florists, plumbers, TV repair guys…everywhere! The risk was too high, so I didn't try anything." Benny said.

"Damn…these guys are thorough…" Raz hissed.

Raz cursed softly as he paced in front of the stage.

"This is so not good…" Raz muttered.

"No shit, Sherlock! This is practically a hostage situation; only the hostages don't even know that they're in danger." Lili said.

"Not to mention that these guys are sure to be keeping tabs on Benny as well." Raz said. Benny nodded.

"We're going to need some outside help." Raz said, deep in thought. "But who on earth would be able to help us out of this mess?"

A sly smirk tugged at Lili's lips.

"You're right. Before we can go any further with this, we need to make Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents disappear." Lili said casually. Raz didn't seem to notice her content smirk. He just nodded and continued pacing. Benny sort of stared at Lili. He noticed her expression. Lili seemed to be waiting for Raz to notice it. After a long silence, Lili grew bored of waiting. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and grabbed Raz by his scarf.

"What?" Raz asked.

"I know how to make our hostages disappear." Lili said.

"Really? How?" Raz asked urgently.

"Sasha had some kind of witness protection program going for the rebellion." Lili said. She stood quickly.

"There's no time to explain the process. I'll take care of our hostages. Benny is best suited to find Maloof…" Lili said.

"And what do we know about Mikhail?" Raz asked.

"Oh, he's in this city somewhere. You can be sure of that. I haven't seen him in a while. That makes me nervous. It means he's planning something big." Benny said.

"We've basically got no leads when it comes to Mikhail." Lili said.

"Well, at least we've got a specific area to work with. It's a long shot, but maybe I can hone into his psychic signature." Raz said.

"Are you freaking crazy?! It's been a while since you've used your powers so extensively, Raz. Jumping right back in like this is dangerous! Not to mention that what you're going to attempt is damn near impossible even for the most powerful of psychics! Even at full strength, you'll exhaust yourself in less than an hour!" Lili said. Raz smiled at her.

"Then I guess I'll have to find him in under an hour." Raz said with a wink.

"I agree with you, Lili…but…what other option do we have? We don't know how long we have to track them down! We have to work under the assumption that there isn't time for a by-the-book investigation." Benny said.

"Wait a second…Elka said that Mikhail and Maloof were together in her vision. That means that they'll encounter one another. If you stick with one, you're bound to run into the other. We know a lot about Maloof. Benny, you and Raz focus on finding him. Mikhail will come to you." Lili said. Raz shook his head.

"I thought about that, and I feel that we need to find each of them before they encounter one another. The turmoil between them is fierce. I don't know if we can reason with them or protect them from one another if they are allowed to meet before we can speak with each of them one on one and explain the situation." Raz said.

"I agree with Raz. Mikhail has no qualms about hurting Maloof and taking out anyone in his way in the process. I've been in the middle of one of their fights before. I'm lucky that Mikhail just knocked me out." Benny said. Lili nodded slowly.

"I understand…" She said softly. She walked up to Raz and hugged him tightly.

"Do what you have to. Just…please…be careful, okay?" Lili said. The two shared a gentle kiss.

"I will. Don't worry about me." Raz said.

"Okay then, here's our strategy: I will handle making Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents disappear. Benny, you know Maloof best, so you'll go track him down. Raz, you'll be scouting the city to find Mikhail before he crosses paths with Maloof." Lili said. Raz and Benny nodded.

"We'll check in through our psychic connection every hour, and, of course, if anything comes up, establish contact immediately." Lili said.

"Well, let's synchronize our watches and get this mission underway." Raz said.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Mikhail stared down at his now gleaming arsenal, his fingers fidgeting nervously. He had picked out something to wear, checked his hidden armor for faults, and reloaded and cleaned every crevice of every weapon in his arsenal until it sparkled. Now what?

Mikhail's stomach gave a loud grumble.

He had been so encased in his thoughts of revenge that he hadn't thought to eat anything all day.

Seeing as he couldn't very well make a hit and take his sweet vengeance on an empty stomach, he decided to treat himself to a nice lunch.

So, he locked his arsenal up tight and headed out the door. He wondered to himself what he should eat on this most momentous occasion. He didn't feel like having fast food. No, he wanted to have something special…something satisfying…something…quality.

Then again, The Park Street Pizzeria was sounding pretty good to him right then.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

Raz and Benny stood in awkward silence in the parking lot as Lili's cab drove away. Raz had no idea where to begin, whereas Benny had so many ideas of where to start, he felt like simply running around in circles, flailing his arms, and screaming incoherently.

Just as Raz was about to say something to break the awkward silence, Benny let out a rather…odd yelp and jumped six feet in the air, effectively startling Raz to the point that the former circus performer stumbled backwards and landed seated in a trashcan.

Benny was doing some weird little jig that seemed to be some sort of nervous tic with his feet as he helped Raz out of the trashcan. Benny was caught between laughing hysterically at Raz, and screaming in sheer anxiety.

"W-what is it, Benny?" Raz choked as he tried to calm himself after the sudden fright.

"Park Street!" Benny cried.

"What about it?" Raz asked, but Benny was already hauling ass down the street. Thinking that something was wrong, Raz followed after him.

The chase went on for a good 15 minutes before Raz finally caught up with Benny inside a pizzeria.

Benny was standing at the front entrance and looking frantically around the room.

"A pizzeria?! What the hell, Benny?!" Raz panted.

"Not here…where?" Benny panted. "Why? He was supposed to…where is he?"

"Benny, what's going on?" Raz asked.

"Maloof. I was supposed to meet him here like five minutes ago…" Benny said. Raz's eyes narrowed slightly. He focused on the cashier hard.

"Maybe he got tired of waiting and left already…but even he isn't usually that impatient…" Benny said to himself. "Maybe he isn't here yet?"

It took a lot more effort than it used to, but Raz was able to pick up on the cashier's thoughts.

"Yeah…he hasn't arrived yet. The cashier over there has been out here for the past hour, and she hasn't seen him. He may just be late." Raz said. Benny breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced over at Raz just in time to see Raz go extremely pale.

"Raz? What's wrong?" Benny asked.

"Maloof hasn't been here…but Mikhail has…" Raz breathed.

"W-What?" Benny choked.

"Not two minutes ago…we must have just missed him…stay here and wait for Maloof, Benny! I think I can still catch up to Mikhail!" Raz said before darting out the door.

Benny watched the door for a long moment. He let out a long sigh and slumped boneless into the nearest booth. He rubbed his temples slowly. This was a hell of a lot more stressful than any opening night down at the theatre; that was for damn sure.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Raz ran down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. He scanned the minds of different people as he passed them to see if they had seen Mikhail. For a good eight minutes, he was able to follow Mikhail by a trail of people who had seen him, but the trail went cold near a series of alleyways. It was there that Raz scanned the mind of a person who obviously knew Mikhail.

Raz didn't dare to approach him; not only because the man looked dangerous. Raz didn't want to interrupt the man's train of thought.

"_It's too bad Dorton couldn't come. Of all the days to have a dinner meeting! He can't even come with me to go grab some late lunch. Well, it is his shift to work the register at the winery…I can tell that he still wishes he could join us, though…Let's see…Klyde and Garrod are coming…that leaves me with one extra ticket. Who else might enjoy going to watch the wrestling match? Bulgakov? I don't know…he's pretty strange. He hardly ever says a word. I wonder if he likes wrestling. Maybe we can get to know him better. Perhaps he just needs an opportunity to loosen up a little. I don't know if he even has any friends here…it might be just what he needs… Oh, but wait…he's going to be busy tonight. Dorton said that Bulgakov was going with him…a bunch of the guys will be at the dinner meeting…rats…I'll have to find someone else…"_

Raz nearly jumped when the man's eyes turned to him.

"Can I help you with something?" The man asked warily with a heavy Russian accent.

"Oh, forgive me for staring…I was not sure if you could speak English…but…do you know of any place zat specializes in wine around 'ere?" Raz asked in a thick, French accent. The man's wary expression quickly faded. He grinned kindly.

"Matter of fact, I just come from winery. If you are to be walking down about 30 blocks that way and turning left, you will be finding winery. Mine friend Dorton is on shift. He is very smart when it come to wine. He take good care of you." The man said.

"Sank you very much, sir." Raz said.

"No problem. Hope you are finding what you are looking for." The man said before continuing down the street.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Maloof sighed as he slipped into the shower. The hot water soothed the aches in his body; but agitated the aches in his mind.

He tried not start counting the multitude of scars that marred his body as he often found himself doing. He tried not to think back to the events that had earned him those scars.

He tried not to sort out which ones were self inflicted, which ones were inflicted by the people 'on his side', and the ones inflicted by police and members of other gangs.

He tried not to let his eyes wander to the scars that _he _had given him.

After Mikhail had stopped believing that Maloof wasn't really bad, Mikhail had come after Maloof with all of his strength. Many of Maloof's scars lingered from the times that Maloof had barely managed to escape Mikhail.

Maloof found comfort in the fact that he'd never done anything to leave a mark on Mikhail. It would make it all the easier for Mikhail to forget him if there was no physical manifestation that would remain forever on his body that would represent what Maloof had done and remind Mikhail that he had ever known Maloof.

What Maloof didn't think about was that scars are not limited to the skin.

He also tended to forget that scars don't wash away. He quickly threw the washcloth in his hand across the bathroom when he realized that he had done it again. He had scrubbed his skin to the point of bleeding.

Yet he still felt so dirty.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Completely unbeknownst to Raz, Mikhail watched him as he dashed down the road toward the winery.

Mikhail, of course, was completely oblivious that the figure he was watching was an old friend. Mikhail just chuckled to himself and took another bite out of his pizza as he casually observed the flustered redhead dash down the road below him.

"Someone's in a hurry today." Mikhail chuckled to himself, swinging his legs carelessly over the ledge of the 8 story high apartment complex as he enjoyed his pizza. Mikhail liked to have a good vantage point as often as he could. He spent much time on rooftops observing the people on the streets below.

Even though it was less than two hours until the sit down, Mikhail knew that he'd better eat beforehand. One's appetite is quickly lost when one must dine over a bloody corpse with the constantly looming threat that the gunshot was overheard and the cops were on the way.

Besides, the second Maloof caught sight of Mikhail, the chase would be on.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Benny tapped his foot restlessly and kept glancing at his watch.

"Where is he?" Benny grumbled to himself.

Sure, Maloof was usually at least 15 minutes late, but with the time approaching 15 minutes and 45 seconds past the agreed upon meeting time, Benny was growing worried.

Then, the mark hit 16 minutes. Benny jumped to his feet.

"_That's it. I'm going out to look for him." _Benny thought to himself.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

30 blocks was a much longer distance than Raz had originally thought.

"Man, I've got to get back into shape…" Raz panted as he passed up the 12th block.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Maloof tugged on his boots, straightened out his vest, and tucked his gun into its holster; hidden by the material of his sweater. Only one thing remained now, and that was to go get some more ammunition for his gun.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

"_Why didn't I think of it before? His apartment should have been the first place I searched for him!" _Benny thought as he hailed a cab.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Mikhail tossed the left-overs of his meal into the trashcan and started back toward his apartment to get ready for the sit down.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Raz had to walk the last two blocks to the winery. He didn't have the energy to run.

Lili was right. Already, Raz was feeling mentally exhausted; and this was just from reading the thoughts of normal, non-psychic people.

But Raz had a job to do. He couldn't rest until he knew that Maloof and Mikhail were safe.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

If Benny hadn't been so fixated on setting eyes on Maloof's apartment, he would have noticed when his cab passed right by Maloof on his way to the nearest firearm store.

Benny jumped out of the cab and, rather than wait for the elevator, scrambled frantically up the four flights of steps to Maloof's apartment. He pounded on the door.

"Maloof? It's Benny! Are you home?" Benny called. After sixty seconds and no answer, Benny tried opening the door. It was locked.

So, Benny used his powers to defeat the lock and entered Maloof's apartment. Maloof was nowhere to be found.

The shower was still dripping and the towel hung in the bathroom was still wet, so Maloof couldn't have been gone for long.

Unsure of what else to do, Benny began searching through Maloof's apartment for any clue as to where Maloof could have gone.

Benny couldn't help but get lost in memories as he looked around the apartment. He remembered clearly the day that he realized that he loved Maloof.

It had been about a year ago. He had shown up at the theater all beat up that day.

"_How'd this happen, Maloof?" Benny asked, gesturing to the steadily growing bloodstain on Maloof's sweater. "And when?!"_

_Maloof blushed slightly, his expression frustrated._

"_I-I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" Maloof said. Benny sighed, his expression softening, and helped Maloof to his feet. He made Maloof lean against him. _

"_Come on. We'll go to my place and I'll get you patched up." Benny said softly. He supported Maloof out of the building and toward his car._

"_When's the last time you had a decent meal? Have you slept at all this week?" Benny asked. Maloof scowled. _

"_Do you gotta bitch at me every time I see you?" Maloof asked. Maloof was unusually edgy. He kept his eyes on the ground and his head lowered. He was oddly pale and there were dark circles around his eyes. There was also a very odd look to Maloof's eyes that left Benny unnerved. _

_Benny had often seen that look in the eyes of some of Maloofs…less likeable…friends; like the drug dealers. _

"_Well excuse me for being worried about you!" Benny said. "You look like a fuckin' undead zombie supermodel." _

_Maloof had to chuckle at this. _

"_So you admit I look good." He joked. Benny smirked and rolled his eyes. After he got Maloof into the passenger seat of his car, he pulled out his first aid kit and wrapped a strip of gauze around Maloof's waist to try to stop the bleeding until he could treat the injury properly. Once they got on the road, Benny's expression became more serious._

"_Really, Maloof; you look exhausted and you're really thin. When's the last time you ate anything or had a decent night's sleep?" Benny asked. He was tense as he awaited the answers that would confirm or nullify Benny's hunch. _

_Maloof's expression saddened. He stared at his own hands. _

"_I dunno. I ate half a loaf of French bread yesterday…I don't think I've slept in four days." Maloof said. Benny's heart plummeted. That was not the answer he was hoping to hear._

_Benny pulled over. He stared at the road for a long moment._

"_Malnutrition, insomnia, abnormal behavior, and dilated pupils…" Benny said softly to himself. "Check, check, check, and check. Positive for four major signs." _

_Slowly, he turned to face Maloof. He put his hands on Maloof's shoulders. _

_Benny had hoped that he wouldn't have to have this confrontation; but the evidence was piling up and blind faith and blissful ignorance weren't going to make the problem go away._

"_Maloof, be completely honest with me…have you been doing drugs?" Benny asked. Maloof sighed and rubbed his temples. _

"_Okay, I won't deny that I'm probably high right now…" Maloof began. Benny paled dramatically. He was about to speak, but Maloof stopped him. _

"_Let me explain. I'm probably high right now, but I'm not doing any drugs. I swear it. The other guys were doing drugs, though. Ain't much I can do about second hand smoke. They'll sit there and smoke a kilo of that shit so that there's so much second hand smoke, all you gotta do is be in the room with them to get high." Maloof said. Benny let out a long sigh of relief. _

"_They won't let you leave the room?" Benny asked. Maloof shook his head. _

"_I make for a great punching bag once everyone's good and plastered." Maloof said softly. "Story of my fuckin' life."_

_Maloof drew a shaky breath and pulled his knees to his chest. _

"_Sometimes I wish they'd just kill me so it'd all be over." Maloof said softly. A pang of sadness tore through Benny. He took off his jacket and put it around Maloof's shoulders, embracing him gently as he did so. _

"_Please don't talk like that, Maloof. Try to get some sleep. We'll get back to my place, get you patched up, get you a nice hot shower and some warm, clean clothes, I'll make you a nice hot meal…I've rented a couple of movies. We can have a movie night just like old times; just you and me. You can crash with me for a while until you're feeling better. Sound good?" Benny asked. A small smile came to Maloof's lips. _

"_Okay. But I can't stay long. The boss will be looking for me." Maloof said. A deep loathing coursed through Benny's veins. _

"_Alright." Benny said softly. He started up the car again and Maloof huddled up under Benny's jacket. It was only a fifteen minute drive to Benny's apartment complex; but Maloof was fast asleep by the time Benny pulled into the parking lot._

_  
Benny didn't want to disturb Maloof's sleep, so he opted to carry him. _

_Benny sighed. He couldn't waltz in through the main entrance and not expect to be questioned about the unconscious teenager he was carrying on his back, so he walked around to the alley way and began the tedious climb up the fire escape to his apartment. At last, he reached his floor and balanced Maloof on his back with one hand while he rummaged through his pockets for the key to his apartment with the other. _

_Eureka! He pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. A gust of warm air met him as he walked inside. He pushed the door shut behind him and carried the teen into his bedroom. He deposited Maloof gently on the bed. He got Maloof's shoes off and changed him into a set of his pajamas (despite the garments being a little big on the teen), leaving the shirt unbuttoned, and pulled the blankets up over him before exiting the room to find his first aid kit. He put a kettle on to boil in the kitchen before returning to tend to the unconscious teenager._

_He gently shifted Maloof so that he was lying on his side and began to look him over for serious injury. He was thankful that the wound in Maloof's side was just a gash. It didn't look too deep. Benny pressed down lightly on Maloof's ribs to check if they were broken. This earned a pained groan from the teen. The ribs were probably cracked. Benny let his hand trail slightly lower. He pressed lightly on Maloof's abdomen to check for internal injuries. Much to his worry, Maloof jolted and started coughing heavily. Blood trickled out from between Maloof's lips. His eyes fluttered. He blinked up at Benny blearily. Maloof gasped and lashed out at Benny violently. Benny easily dodged the attack and quickly jumped onto the bed. Careful not to injure Maloof further, he straddled the teen's waist and pinned his arms above his head. Maloof struggled against him. _

"_Leave me alone, you bastard!" Maloof cried hoarsely, tears springing to his eyes._

"_Maloof!" Benny said, trying to get the teen to calm down. "Maloof, relax! It's me, Benny!"_

_Maloof's struggles ceased. He blinked to get a better look at Benny. Tears streamed down Maloof's cheeks. _

"_Benny…" Maloof whispered. _

"_It's okay Maloof. You're at my place. They won't look for you here. You're safe." Benny assured him. He released the Maloof and gently climbed off of him. Maloof squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shaky sight of relief. He wiped the tears from his eyes, trying to look as though nothing had happened. Benny gently brushed a stray curl out of Maloof's face. Even that small action made Maloof flinch._

"_Stop doing that. I ought to give you two for flinching, but you know I'd never strike you." Benny said. Maloof sighed. His midnight blue eyes were brimming with tears again. _

"_I-I know you wouldn't. I'm sorry, Benny. I-I just can't help it…I'm used to it." Maloof said._

"_You've got nothing to be sorry about, Maloof. Now, let me take a look at your injuries…" Benny said, reaching to take Maloof's arm so that he could get a better look at the nasty scrape on his elbow. Maloof quickly drew back. _

"_Don't touch me!" Maloof said, his voice making it more of a plea than a command. Maloof cleared his throat and his voice took on a calmer tone. _

"_Gloves first. I don't want you catching whatever diseases those bastards have passed on to me." Maloof said. Benny sighed and pulled a pair of gloves out of his fist aid kit._

_It was a major quirk that Maloof had developed. He was nearly obsessive over his own hygiene. He showered several times daily and had a dangerous habit of scrubbing his skin until it was raw and bloody; and even then, Maloof would still feel as though he were filthy. _

_He didn't like to be touched, either. Benny knew that it was out of a subconscious (or maybe not) psychological fear of contaminating others. Maloof had once tearfully confessed to Benny that he believed that he had contracted one or more sexually transmitted diseases. _

_Benny knew that Maloof had a very valid basis for his fear, but Benny shut out reason and avidly refused to even entertain the possibility that Maloof had been infected. _

_Besides, it wasn't like Maloof could just waltz into a hospital and get tested without running the high risk of being discovered._

"_I take it that they assaulted you again, then?" Benny said darkly. _

"_I'm their toy, Benny. I'm nothing to them but a fuckin' toy. They have complete control over me. What I do, where I go, how I act…even what I wear." Maloof said, shooting a venomous glare at his discarded clothes lying on the floor. _

"_I didn't think you were dressing like that on purpose." Benny said. Maloof snorted. _

"_They don't give a damn what I think. They don't need a reason to rough me up! They don't give a damn if they break my ribs! They could care less if I'm in pain! They don't give a damn if I catch pneumonia, as long as my appearance is to their liking on my deathbed!" Maloof said. _

"_Then get out of there!" Benny said. _

"_You think I haven't tried!? You don't understand, Benny! Once you're in…once you're really in…there's no gettin' out. Not alive, anyway." Maloof said. "Besides, even if I could get out, what the hell would I do then? The Psychonauts are after my hide, there's no way I'd ever show my sorry face to any of my family or friends…" _

"_You could leave the country." Benny suggested. _

"_With what money, for what reason, and to go where?" Maloof said. He sighed. "What's the point? Everything I ever cared about is here. There's nothin' for me in other countries." _

"_How can you know that for sure?" Benny asked. Maloof buried his face in his hands._

"_You only meet your soul mate once in your life. I found mine. My soul mate is here; and…well…you know how that turned out. Besides, who could ever love someone like me? I know I wouldn't." Maloof said. Benny felt his heart sink. _

"_**You say no one could ever love someone like you…If only you could see yourself the way I see you…you wouldn't be so hard on yourself…"**__ Benny thought to himself. _

"_Maloof, please tell me what happened." Benny asked softly. Maloof was quiet for a long moment. _

"_The boss whored me out to 'our friends' the Russian Mafiosi again as part of an agreement; and you know how the Russians like to play rough." Maloof said. Anger boiled in Benny's gut, but he decided to keep quiet. Even if he did speak, there was nothing he could do to change the way the Italian Mafiosi treated him. Talking about it would probably just make Maloof feel like some weakling whore of the Mafia…well, Maloof always felt like that, but Benny made it a point not to bring it up and remind him of those feelings._

"_Yeah, so, the Russians had me do some of their dirty work, did with me what they pleased and tossed me out into the snow when they were done with me. I think I fell asleep in the park last night and when I came to this morning, I knew that the theatre was nearby…" Maloof said. He winced and put a hand over his abdomen. He coughed heavily, more blood trickling down his chin. Benny put an arm around Maloof's back to support him. Maloof slumped sideways against Benny, exhausted. _

"_Mother fuck, Maloof…what'd those Russian cock-suckers do to you?" Benny asked, gently laying Maloof back against the pillows. _

"_I dunno…I can't really remember…" Maloof said. _

"_Maloof, I think you may have some serious internal bleeding this time…" Benny said. Maloof suddenly had a conflicted expression on his face. _

"_Maloof, what aren't you telling me?" Benny asked. _

"_I-I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't sure if it was a dream or not…but…I think I got hit by a car while I was trying to run away…" Maloof said. Benny cursed and studied the bruising on Maloof's body more carefully._

"_It'd explain the line of bruising and cracked ribs…" Benny muttered. "Maloof, you need to see a doctor for this…" _

"_You know I can't do that, Benny! I'll get turned in for sure!" Maloof said. "It's just going to have to heal on its own." _

_Benny sighed and sunk back in his chair. He was fighting hard to keep the tears stinging his eyes at bay. Maloof sat up slightly, seeing Benny's distress. _

"_Benny?" Maloof asked softly. "Benny, what's wrong?" _

_Benny couldn't hold back any longer. He sat down beside Maloof on the bed and pulled Maloof close to him, wrapping his arms around the younger boy's waist. He closed his eyes as he relished the feeling of Maloof's small, warm body against his own. He breathed in Maloof's sweet scent of cinnamon and magnolia with light undertones of alcohol and cigarette smoke and fingered one of those soft brown curls. He resisted the strong urge to move his lips just a few more centimeters to press them against the exposed smooth, tantalizing, golden skin of Maloof's neck. He kept himself from doing so by burying his face into Maloof's shoulder. _

_Maloof was stiff with shock in his arms. He could feel Benny's tears dampening his shirt. _

"_I hate seeing you hurt like this, Maloof. I hate seeing you being forced to do all these things against your will. Every time I see you with a new bruise…every time I see you cry…knowing that you're in so much pain that you wish I'd let you die…it breaks my heart." Benny whispered. Maloof almost gasped aloud. Tears sprung to his eyes and a light blush blossomed across his cheeks. _

_Maloof thought that there was no one left who truly cared about him. He realized now that Benny did. It had been over a year since he'd felt like this. For the first time in a long time, there, with Benny's arms around him, Maloof felt loved. He closed his eyes and sunk into Benny's embrace. Benny's heat soared as Maloof laid his head against Benny's chest. _

_Maloof was crying. It had been so long since Maloof had really opened up and allowed Benny to see his deepest pain. A year of forced work for the Mafia and all the beatings and cruel, callous treatment that came with it had hardened the petite teen. Back in their camp days, Benny tormented Maloof for crying; and now, he hated himself for it._

_But now, Benny was, in a way, relieved to see him cry. It meant that the Maloof he knew was still alive somewhere deep down._

"_Benny…I-I'm sorry…thank you…" Maloof whispered. As vague as the statement was, Benny had a pretty good idea of what Maloof was trying to say. _

"_**You've been pushed around, defiled, beaten, degraded…you believe yourself to be hardened, marred, tarnished and robbed of innocence. Because of that you feel undesirable. You can't see any beauty in yourself. You're apologizing because you've believed for so long that you were an unlovable creature when I've been here for you all along. You're thanking me for reminding you of that."**__ Benny thought. _

_For the longest time, Benny just held Maloof and let him cry. It wasn't long before Maloof cried himself to sleep in Benny's arms. Benny leaned back against the headboard of the bed with his eyes closed as he stroked Maloof's soft brown curls and traced patterns into the younger male's back. He blissfully basked in the feeling of Maloof's small body, warm and relaxed against his chest. He admired Maloof's angelic face (always, by order of Ruliano, left unmarred whenever he was knocked around to ensure that its appeal wouldn't lessen) as he slept. _

_Maloof had always had a youthful appearance, not just because of his size, but in the way his limbs remained lengthy in that adolescent way. On the other hand, he had a softness and fullness to his body (despite being underweight, even for his size) that gave him a natural air of grace and elegance about him. He still had that boyish slope to his cheeks, though his jaw had become more defined and had developed an almost feminine contour. _

_He still had that same cute little nose he had as a boy and his large, stunning, midnight blue eyes were accented by dark eyelashes, which, when he looked at you, gave the illusion that he could see right through you. It was both unnerving and enchanting. It was Benny's favorite trait appearance wise about Maloof. Maloof's lips were a close second._

_Lightly parted in slumber, those soft lips were more tantalizing than ever before to Benny. He'd caught himself more than once imagining what it would be like to kiss them. There would be so much more to kissing him than the faint taste of cigarettes and alcohol. The feeling…the rush…the warmth…the taste…the experience of kissing Maloof would be far beyond anything Benny could possibly begin to imagine._

_Benny had never felt so strongly about anyone in his life. To him, no one was a more awe-inspiring creature than Maloof. Just lying there with him in his arms…touching his hair…inhaling his scent…feeling the light rise and fall of his chest against his own with each deep, even breath he drew…Benny was in complete bliss. _

_But, he had to admit that there was an emptiness. Benny didn't instill the same emotions in Maloof that Maloof instilled in him. Benny wasn't the one could light up a universe of joyful dancing stars in the midnight blue heavens of Maloof's eyes. Benny was not the person Maloof longed to be with the most. Benny was fully aware of this fact._

_That didn't keep Benny from desperately wishing that Maloof could see how deeply Benny cared for him. Benny would never tell Maloof himself, though. Benny knew that if it was meant to be, Maloof would see it for himself. ._

_Alas, Benny understood that he could never truly fill that special place in Maloof's heart. That person happened to be an old friend, so Benny tried not to feel bitter and jealous and hateful. However, more often than not, he failed miserably to do so._

_It was only natural, really. _

_After all; the only person who would truly make Maloof happy…the one who could put stars in the midnight blue skies of Maloof's eyes…had spent every waking hour of the past two years hunting Maloof down with the intent of killing him._

Benny shook his head to clear his mind and continued his search of Maloof's apartment.

Benny froze in sheer horror when he pulled open one particular drawer.

There, sitting in front of him were several obviously stolen and partially used bottles of morphine along with several needles.

Benny's fists shook with rage and anguish. He had suspected that Maloof might have had a drug problem, but he had given Maloof the benefit of doubt.

Maloof had promised him that he wouldn't let himself get involved in drug use. He was furious with Maloof for lying to him; but Benny was also mad at himself. He felt like it was somehow his fault that Maloof had gotten mixed up in drugs.

If only Benny had been more involved with Maloof…If only he had been there for him more…if only he had done this or that, Maloof wouldn't have turned to drugs.

For the first time in a long time, Benny felt like pounding Maloof. He whipped out his cell phone. Someone was about to get an earful.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Raz took a moment to compose himself before he walked into the winery. A tall man with dark hair greeted him from behind the counter. His nametag said 'Dorton'.

"Looking for anything in particular?" Dorton asked. Raz did his best to smile.

"Somesing special for my sweet'art. Ze problem is, zat I am not quite sure what sort of 'special' to get for 'er." Raz said. Dorton chuckled.

"What sort of occasion?" The man asked.

"A dinner date. It is 'er birthday." Raz said.

"Well, I think I have perfect thing for you. This white wine here is particularly good brand and excellent year. Price is definitely affordable, too. Trust me, this wine is better than most top dollar name brand. Great buy and great taste. I get it all the time." Dorton said, handing Raz a bottle.

"Oh, sank you. I sink she will enjoy zis." Raz said, taking the bottle up to the counter. He strained to read Dorton's mind as Dorton counted out Raz's change.

"_Ah, young love. Hopefully, this kid's dinner date will go better than mine. The closest thing to a sweetheart that I'm going to see tonight is that cute little piece of ass the Ruliano keeps around; and after tonight, he's going to belong to Bulgakov! I wonder if Bulgakov will share…well…at least we're going to a decent restaurant. The Hard Rock Café is a definite improvement over IHOP…Speaking of which, after this kid leaves, I'd better close up. It's almost time to go." _

Raz's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt ill. Dorton looked up at him.

"You alright?" Dorton asked. Raz did his best to regain his composure. He nodded and swallowed thickly.

"Just nerves, I suppose." Raz chuckled. Dorton smiled widely.

"Will you be proposing to this girl?" He asked. Raz blushed deeply as Lili's face flitted into his mind.

"I-I…Uh…gosh…I don't know…" Raz stammered. Dorton chuckled.

"Sounds like you really like this girl." Dorton said. Raz nodded slowly.

"I-I suppose I do…" He said sheepishly. Dorton handed Raz the bottle of wine and his change. He patted Raz on the back and winked at him.

"Well, I wish you luck with this girl of yours tonight." Dorton said. Raz blushed.

"S-sank you…" Raz said. He wandered numbly out of the store, still dumbstruck by the thought of marrying Lili.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Benny started to dial and cursed the infernal device when he realized that he had forgotten to turn it on. Once he did, he felt rather stupid. A new wave of self hatred and frustration washed over him.

1) Calling Maloof in the first place would have greatly simplified things and 2) There was a message in his inbox from Maloof.

"_Hey, Benny. It's me. I guess you're still in the theater since your cell phone isn't on. I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to meet you for dinner like we planned. I've got a hot dinner date tonight, so I've gotta get ready. Sorry for the short notice. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." _

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Raz nearly dropped his bottle of wine when Benny's voice rang through his head.

"_Raz, Maloof is going to a sit down tonight!" _Benny's voice cried. Raz had to lean against the wall to catch his breath from the scare. Suddenly, something clicked in his head. He paled dramatically.

When he tried to respond to Benny, Raz literally fell to his knees. He felt as though a lead brick had just been dropped on his head. His vision was beginning to blur slightly and his body felt strangely heavy.

"_Raz, hello?! Did you hear me?" _Benny asked. Raz cursed under his breath. He had almost completely exhausted his mind.

"_Important…meet you at the theater…now"_ Raz was barely able to get the message to Benny. He pulled himself up and began the long run back to the theater.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Mikhail tucked the last of his weapons into his shirt and out of sight as he turned to lock the door of his apartment. It was almost time. In less than half an hour, Maloof would be his.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Maloof loaded a few rounds into his gun and tucked it back out of sight into its holster as he neared Ruliano's car. Ruliano whistled at him out the window.

"Damn, sweetheart! I'm gonna have to beat those Russians off you with a stick!" Ruliano chuckled. Maloof smiled coyly and flipped a curl out of his eyes as he climbed into the car beside Ruliano.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Benny paced anxiously in front of the theater as he waited for Raz. When he saw Raz stumble into view, Benny ran over to help him.

Raz was all scraped up, pale, and breathing heavily.

"Raz, what happened?!" Benny asked anxiously.

"'m okay…just tripped…tired…" Raz gasped. Benny cursed softly and helped Raz up. He supported Raz over to the steps of the theater and made Raz lie down to catch his breath. Benny knew that Raz had pushed himself too far.

"Shit, Raz…come on. I'll take you back to my place. I've got some dream fluffs there that should help you until Lili gets back…she'll know how to help you…shit! Why didn't I pay more attention in Mental Wellness?!" Benny groaned. Raz grabbed Benny's arm.

"No…I'll be fine…We have got to get to the Hard Rock Café!" Raz panted. Benny gave Raz a strange look.

"What for?" Benny asked.

"Because, Benny! That's where the sit down is going to be and Mikhail has set up a trap there for Maloof!" Raz said. Benny was nearly sick.

"Oh god…" Benny whimpered. Raz stumbled to his feet.

"Come on, Benny! We have to go NOW!" Raz said.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangin**_

Mikhail waited quietly in the shadows in the back of the room for the guests to arrive. He was trembling in anticipation. He wanted to scream aloud when the door handle began to turn.

It took a hellish eternity for the door to finally open and another eternity for Ruliano to walk in with Mikhail's prey latched onto his arm.

It was like a magnetic force. The instant Maloof walked into view, his eyes were drawn to Mikhails.

_**To Be Continued….MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!**_

I know. I'm such a bitch! MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!

Reviewing helps give me enough money to afford my fast acting anti-bitch-extra-fast-extra-awesome update syrup!

…mmmm….syrup! XD!

Speaking of which, has anyone seen my friends, the reviewers? Like, half of them are missing…I'm getting worried…

If you have seen or heard from any of said missing persons, please let me know in a review! XD!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! May your Thanksgiving meal find you unburnt, may your smoke alarms lie dormant on this joyous holiday, may you come out on top in all quests for vengance on relatives during the big family thanksgiving get togethers, and may peace, love, and lack of food poisioning, calls to the fire department, and hospital bills prevail over this weekend.

I am thankful for readers who review...(Puppy eyes)


	8. Love and Death Kill and Kiss

Warning: This chapter is very short and is written in a format different from any other chapter so far. This chapter also features retarded scene dividers in the form of Psychonauts Thanksgiving dishes in honor of the holiday and my having drank too much sprite too late in the evening.

**Chapter 8**

For a moment, he saw only the most beautiful agony…the most captivating, deceptive, utterly breathtaking shade of midnight blue to ever be painted onto the canvas of the world; then, like the big finale of a New Year's Eve firework show, stars burst to life amidst the coy blue.

He _needed_ to _strangle_ _the life out of him _with his _bare hands._

He _needed_ to _take_ _him in his arms_ and _make him feel alive_.

**_HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingEATCHURTURKEY_**

Maloof's heart skipped a beat. His breath caught in his chest. His knees felt weak. An insane duo of terror and adoration coursed through his body in equal measures as he stared point blank into eyes of ruby red.

He _needed _to run_ away _from him.

He _needed _to run_ toward_ him.

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingLILILIQUOR**_

His body felt like lead. The cold gripped his body, yet he felt as though he were on fire. His chest ached. He felt light-headed and his vision was slipping in and out of focus. The thoughts of every person within a mile of him were being screamed into his ears; but still, he kept running; for over all of the thoughts of people around him flooding Raz's senses, Benny's thoughts were the loudest.

"_Please…please…please let us get there in time…" _

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingRAZ-BERRYSAUCE**_

To run away from him

To run to him

To live

To die

To suffer

To sleep

Such sweet bliss

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingMORRY-OCOOKIES**_

To claim his life.

To claim his lips.

To ravage him.

To ravish him.

To rest in peace.

To fall to pieces.

Such sweet bliss.

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHAVESOMEMILKAWITHYERMORRY-O'S**_

He was shaking all over; so much so that he was struggling to run without falling. He felt as though he would be physically sick. Desperation wracked his body. He was numb with cold, yet burning with heat. He knew Raz was in danger, but he knew that Raz knew that neither of them would be stopping until the end; no matter what that end would be.

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingTRUMANTATOSALAD**_

To claim his life.

To ravage him.

To rest in peace.

Kill him.

To claim his lips.

To ravish him.

To fall to pieces.

Kiss him.

**_HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingDOGANDINNERROLLS_**

To run.

To live.

To suffer.

Kill me.

To embrace.

To die.

To sleep.

Kiss me.

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingSASHASTUFFING!**_

Kill him.

Kiss him.

_**HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingMILLAMASHPOTATOES**_

Kill me.

Kiss me.

**_HappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingHappyThanksgivingFORDFRUITSALAD_**

A moment's hesitation.

A mutual, unspoken, desperate need.

Then; nothing.

Cold steel walls.

Betrayal and Hatred.

An intense drive to live.

An intense drive to die.

An intense drive to end things once and for all.

A mutual, unspoken, unparalleled passion.

A blink of an eye.

A gunshot.

A scream.

A spatter of crimson.

A dull thud.

**To Be Continued…**

DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!!!! MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! BITCH-LASS STRIKES AGAIN!!!!

Yes, I know, this chapter went absolutely nowhere and yes, I did write it for the sole purpose of getting you all riled up for action only to shove you head first off of the Mount Everest Mo-Fo Peak Cliffhanger of your BASTED TURKEY DOOM! MWA HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

-snickers- Happy Thanksgiving! XD!

And I'm going to try to get another chapter done and posted by Monday night. Key word here is TRY.

Reviews always help me git-r-done!

-see "Happy Thanksgiving" speech in previous chapter-PLEASE REVIEW!


	9. The Shootout! Enter Lerio!

Okay, if you REALLY want to get the mood of this chapter, go onto youtube and find the song "All the Things You Said" or "Not Gonna Get Us"; both songs by t.A.T.u.

Even though I'm straight, I LOVE t.A.T.u. (Which I don't own, by the way.)! They sound great and their songs are so full of emotion! I think you'll fall in love with their songs too if you give them a listen.

Several other t.A.T.u songs will suit some other pairings in this fic very well…but I won't give you any specifics on that just yet…MWAHAHAHAHA!

Hem hem…where was I? Oh, yes…

To Digitaldreamer: Yeah, I know chapter 8 was a bit confusing, but that's sort of the effect I was going for. The way it's written requires one to really think about which of our desperate convicts is thinking what. I'm evil that way…MWAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm glad it turned out okay..and SQUEE! I worked so hard on the one sided BennyxMaloof scene! I was very pleased with the way it turned out. I'm glad someone else liked it too! I KNEW the chapter needed a touch of lightness to it; and it took me a while to find where to slip it in. I would love to draw that scene if I ever manage to find some spare time lol…I'm afraid that's all I can say for now…I hope you are un-dizzified! XD!

This chapter is dedicated to Digitaldreamer; who also gets a digital cookie of her choice for being nice enough to always leave a review! (hugs!) I said I'd try to get this chapter done by Monday night…It's 1:00 AM on Tuesday morning, so I missed the deadline by an hour XD.

C'mon, y'all! I KNOW you're out there! Leave a review! Please!

**Chapter 9**

A blink of an eye

Mikhail was gone

A gunshot from directly behind him

A scream.

A spatter of hot, wet crimson spraying him

A dull thud just beside him.

Ruliano, the mob boss that had held Maloof captive for two years now lay dead on the floor at Maloof's feet. The exit wound from a bullet was clearly visible on the man's head. He had been shot in the back of the head from behind. Immediately, members of the Russian mafia began scrambling out the door.

Maloof could feel the assailant's body heat as the assailant positioned himself to shadow Maloof's stance; their bodies mere centimeters from touching. Maloof could feel the assailant's warm breath on his neck.

"My business here is done. Now I can turn my time to pleasure." A deep, low, husky voice whispered with sadistic mirth. Maloof felt a familiar hot mouth press briefly against his neck, ripping a shudder from Maloof's body. "This ends tonight, my love."

Maloof wanted to react; but he didn't know how. Ruliano was dead. Did this mean that Maloof was free? Could he tell Mikhail the truth without endangering him and his family? Was there a possibility that Mikhail might take him back despite Maloof being so sullied? Could things possibly go back to the way they were before? Would Mikhail believe him? Would Mikhail care whether or not what Maloof had to say was true? Would he kill him anyway?

His racing mind was only made worse when he felt that familiar feeling of gentle lips on his neck and the soft, passionate whisper of his beloved. Maloof was so confused.

For a long moment, they both stood perfectly still. Maloof gave a sharp intake of breath when Mikhail lost patience and seized Maloof around his waist; his powerful arms constricting the smaller male tightly. Maloof was too shocked to even struggle.

"What's wrong with you, beloved? Why don't you struggle?" Mikhail breathed. Swiftly, Mikhail moved one hand up to hold Maloof's head still and with his other hand, he tore away one of the sleeves of Maloof's sweater. Mikhail slowly surveyed the bare skin of Maloof's arm before leaning close to Maloof to inhale his scent.

"Right here…" Mikhail whispered. He leaned over and kissed Maloof's bare arm gently. Both his and Maloof's breathing was growing ragged from the heat of the moment. Mikhail grabbed Maloof's hand and guided it to rest on Mikhail's arm.

"It's where you shot me." Mikhail whispered. Maloof's breathing hitched when he felt Mikhail's tongue trace his ear briefly. "It really hurt you know."

Maloof shuddered when he felt one of Mikhail's hands trail up his stomach and the other up his arm slowly in a ghost-light touch.

"That bullet right up my arm and shattered my very heart and soul..." Mikhail whispered. Both of his hands lightly grazed Maloof's chest right over his heart before slowly trailing back down to restrain him.

"That fateful shot killed Misha, you know. That bleeding heart ex-partner of yours; that naïve, Psychonaut poster boy wannabe…he's dead now. Only I, Mikhail Bulgakov, the bounty hunter remains; and let me tell you; thanks to you, I'm the most heartless son of a bitch ever to take up the business." Mikhail said with a sneer.

"I suppose you've made quite an impression on me, my love. You are my inspiration. I would not be what I am today if it were not for you." Mikhail said.

"Which is why I'm going to return that fateful shot with interest; don't you understand? Why don't you resist me? Don't you know I'm going to kill you, beloved?" Mikhail asked.

"Y-yes…" Maloof breathed.

"How disappointing that you won't even put up a fight!" Mikhail scoffed. In a flash, Maloof felt the barrel of Mikhail's gun against his arm in the very same spot that Mikhail had been shot two years before. There was a deafening bang and Mikhail shoved Maloof away from him roughly. Maloof stumbled and fell to his knees in a daze. Blood was flowing freely down Maloof's arm from the spot where Mikhail had pressed his gun against Maloof's skin.

Maloof stared dumbly at the wound in his arm. Then, he heard Mikhail's gun cock. He looked up only to find himself staring down the barrel of Mikhail's gun.

"Do you understand now that I am going to kill you?" Mikhail asked calmly. He lashed out at Maloof with a brutal kick. Out of sheer instinct, Maloof dove and rolled out of the way. Mikhail let out a hearty laugh.

"That's more like it!" Mikhail cried, again, turning his gun on Maloof. He opened fire. Maloof dove again and rolled right out the door. Mikhail cursed and ran into the hall after him. He got to the door just in time to see Maloof jump out a window. Mikhail followed.

Maloof found that he couldn't move near as quickly as he usually could due to his rapid blood loss from the wound in his arm. Already, his vision was starting to blur. The alleyway seemed to be lurching this way and that all around him.

The feeling was surreal. Maloof had always known in the back of his mind that this day would come. In his darker times, he even prayed for it. The day when Mikhail would take his vengeance. It was finally here. The day that Maloof would be released from his misery and Mikhail would at last find peace.

Tonight, Mikhail was really going to kill him. This was the real thing.

He heard gunfire from behind him and created a shield of psychic energy around himself just in time to save himself from the barrage of bullets.

_I've been waiting for this...so why am I fighting it?_

In a flash of red, Maloof's shield was broken and he stumbled backward, disoriented. Mikhail wasted no time in advancing toward Maloof to strike him down with a well-placed kick to the side of the head.

He didn't stop there. He brought his elbow down hard on Maloof's shoulder, slammed his knee into Maloof's chest, delivered a swift, merciless dropkick to Maloof's back, and threw his shoulder into Maloof's side.

Maloof slumped boneless to the ground, coughing blood. Mikhail loomed over Maloof maliciously.

"You will beg for death before I am through with you…" Mikhail whispered.

"Please kill me." Maloof whispered. This caught Mikhail by surprise.

"W-wha…" Mikhail stammered.

"Please…I want you to kill me. I'm begging you now. Do it. Kill me. Please." Maloof breathed.

It only took a moment for Mikhail to regain his composure. He scowled at Maloof and kicked him so that he was lying on his back. He straddled Maloof's waist and pinned Maloof's hands above his head with one arm. He moved his other hand to rest on Maloof's neck.

Maloof wasn't resisting. This made Mikhail hesitate.

"What are you waiting for? Do it. Kill me." Maloof whispered hoarsely. He closed his eyes and waited for it to all be over.

He winced when he felt Mikhail's grip tighten on his neck; but it wasn't enough to hurt him. Mikhail remained like that for a few long moments. He seemed unsure. Maloof opened his eyes.

Why was Mikhail hesitating?

Mikhail let out a growl and yanked Maloof roughly to his feet before wrapping both hands around Maloof's neck and lifting him up off of the ground.

Maloof squeezed his eyes shut as his neck was constricted to the point where he couldn't breathe. He felt his limbs growing heavy and his chest began to ache. In less than a minute, he would loose consciousness. In less than two minutes, it would all be over.

Maloof couldn't be happier. After all; he was, technically, in Mikhail's arms. It seemed as though his luck was finally starting to shine through. His death wasn't nearly as horrific as he had imagined Mikhail would make it. He couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips and the tears that streamed down his cheeks as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

He was very surprised when the pressure constricting his neck suddenly vanished. He felt himself drop until his feet touched the ground and a pair of strong arms was wrapped around his waist. He coughed and gasped for breath.

What was Mikhail doing? Why was he letting up?

Before he could regain his bearings, the arms that were holding him up promptly vanished and he was backhanded across the cheek so roughly that he fell backwards and ran into a wall.

Maloof noted that, in his last hour or so of life, he should make a note not to count his chickens before they hatched. It seemed that Mikhail wasn't done yet. Maloof was right in his original assumption that his death would not come quickly or painlessly.

He was dragged away from the wall and to his feet by the neckline of his shirt. His vision was becoming just sharp enough that he could see that he was looking into Mikhail's eyes.

"God damn it…" Mikhail hissed, staring into Maloof's eyes. Maloof froze, staring back into Mikhail's eyes meekly; trying to assess what Mikhail might be up to.

"Why the hell can I not kill you?!" Mikhail yelled, shaking Maloof. Maloof's eyes went wide. He stared into Mikhail's eyes with disbelief; like a deer caught in the headlights of a semi-truck.

"Why can't I do it?!" Mikhail growled.

A few moments later, Mikhail let out a crazed laugh.

"FUCK THIS!" Mikhail shouted. Seconds later, he pulled Maloof to his chest and captured Maloof's lips with his own.

The two didn't break apart until both of them felt that they would pass out unless they broke for air. Maloof continued to stare incredulously at Mikhail after they broke apart.

Tears streamed down his cheeks. There were tears slipping down Mikhail's cheeks as well. Mikhail's eyes bored into Maloof's with bitterness and forlorn longing.

"_What's happening? Am I dreaming? Is this real? Am I going insane? Is he toying with me?" _Maloof thought to himself.

"You fucking bastard…why did you have to go and make me love you so damn much…I just can't kill you…I need you, god damn it!" Mikhail sobbed softly, pulling Maloof close to his chest and laid his head on top of Maloof's head. Maloof's heart soared. For a long moment, they stayed like that.

Suddenly, without warning, Mikhail shoved Maloof away from him. Without Mikhail's support, Maloof fell backwards and ran into the wall. He fell to his knees, staring up at Mikhail with confusion. Mikhail reached for his gun and held it up. Maloof paled dramatically.

_He was toying with me…this is it…_

Maloof was immensely surprised when Mikhail tossed the gun so that it landed beside Maloof. Maloof stared back and forth from the gun to Mikhail. Mikhail raised his arms in surrender.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Don't you get it? I can't kill you, you bastard! You've won! I can't fight you any more. I give up!" Mikhail spat, hatred radiating from his body and tears streaming down his cheeks.

"So?! KILL ME!" Mikhail roared, making Maloof jump. More tears leaked from Maloof's eyes. Slowly, with shaking hands, Maloof picked up the gun. He stared at it for a long moment before tossing it aside.

"Why are you asking me ta kill ya? You're s'pose to be the strong one! If you can't kill me, what the hell makes you think I can kill you, yuh dumb fuck!?" Maloof asked. Mikhail raised an eyebrow at him.

"You shot me before! Why the hell can't you do it again!?" Mikhail asked.

"Yeah?! Well, you didn't have a problem shooting me a few minutes ago yourself either!" Maloof said, pointing to the gunshot wound in his arm. Mikhail rolled his eyes.

"Would you just shut the fuck up and kill me already?!" Mikhail cried.

"I can't!" Maloof growled.

"Why the hell not?! Just do what you did the first time, only aim for my head, dumbass!" Mikhail groaned.

"I can't! Besides, technically, I never shot you to begin with. It was Danny who fired the damn shot, because I didn't have the guts to do it!" Maloof grumbled, a deep, ashamed blush blossoming over his face. There was a long silence between Mikhail and Maloof. They looked up into each other's eyes. Then, after a long moment, they both burst into laughter.

"How can you not shoot me? The gun's right there! You're pathetic!" Maloof said, pointing to the discarded gun.

"Well, you can't seem to shoot me either; so you're one to talk!" Mikhail said. Maloof shrugged.

"I guess that makes us both pathetic screw ups." Maloof said. They paused and stared into each others eyes. A moment later, they both blushed and looked away.

"Man…listen to us arguing like this…" Maloof said softly.

"Just like we used to do." Mikhail added softly. There was a long silence between them as they both looked up at the stars. Mikhail turned back to Maloof with a wary expression.

"How can we be doing this?" Mikhail asked haughtily. "Acting like we used to?"

"I don't know…" Maloof said softly. "I-I suppose…"

"I suppose it's because…somehow…even with all that's happened…we're still in love with one another." Maloof said quietly. A light blush blossomed across his cheeks and tears were welling in his eyes again. Mikhail stood there completely frozen; staring wide eyed at Maloof. Realization donned on Mikhail.

Slowly and hesitantly, he walked up to Maloof and knelt in front of him.

"S-so…y-you do still have feelings for me?" Mikhail whispered. Maloof let out a soft sob and buried his face in his knees.

"I never stopped being in love with you in the first place, Mikhail!" Maloof sobbed. Tears were beginning to slip down Mikhail's cheeks once again.

"But all those things you said…" He whispered. A small smile tugged at his lips. He chuckled softly.

"Come to think of it…I can't really say in all honesty that I ever actually stopped being in love with you, either…" Mikhail said softly.

"But how can that be?! After all I did to you!?" Maloof snapped, looking up at Mikhail.

Then, for the first time in two years Mikhail Bulgakov, Maloof's partner and soul mate, smiled; and for the first time in two years, every star in the universe flared to life and sparkled out from the midnight blue depths of the eyes of Maloof Canola, Mikhail's partner and soul mate.

"You never really wanted to do any of that." Mikhail said, somehow knowing that it was true.

Maloof bit back a soft sob and threw his arms around Mikhail's neck and pressed his lips to Mikhail's. Mikhail was a bit stunned at first, but it didn't take long for him to return the kiss with great vigor. He slipped his arms around Maloof's waist, pulling him close to his chest and fingered Maloof's soft curls.

"THERE HE IS!" A voice shouted from the north opening of the alleyway.

"HE'S STRANGLING BULGAKOV!" Another shouted. Mikhail recognized the voices as members of the Russian mafia.

"HE'S ALREADY WHACKED THE BOSS! NOW HE'S GONNA KILL CANOLA!" Another voice shouted from the south opening of the alleyway. Maloof recognized the voice as one of the Italian Mafiosi.

"TAKE HIM OUT!" Voices from both ends of the alleyway hollered.

"NO! MALOOF! MIKHAIL, STOP!" Cried a familiar voice. Benny ran into view of the south opening just in time to witness gunfire erupt from both ends of the alleyway. From the north end, the Russian Mafiosi and from the south end, the Italian Mafiosi.

Benny let out a horrified cry and jumped on the nearest gunman. He let out a cry of pain as a bullet buried itself into his shoulder. He fell to the ground, clutching the wound and was kicked into a wall by one of the Italian Mafiosi. Benny now lay motionless on the ground.

"BENNY!" Raz cried as he at last made it onto the scene. He summoned up all the power he could muster and sent the Italian Mafiosi flying. The Russian Mafiosi on the other side of the alleyway saw Raz's amazing display of power and ran.

"Oh he-hell yeah…y-you-you'd better run…" Raz panted before falling to his knees. Everything around him was blurry. He couldn't see anything. He felt light headed. He fought will all his might to stay awake; to get up and carry out his mission; but to no avail.

The last conscious memory he had were of the sound of a car screeching to a stop nearby and a familiar voice scream his name.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

"Beautiful, Yolanda. I think it looks splendid." Fred said, examining the piece of artwork that was sitting before him. A woman in a white asylum gown sat across the table from him, meekly scrutinizing Fred for any sign that he was lying. She twisted a lock of her long, curly blonde hair around her finger.

"I'm especially fond of the magenta cat in the corner there." Fred said, pointing out the shape in the painting. The woman looked surprised.

"Really?" she asked. "Everyone else just thinks my art is weird and makes no sense."

Fred walked over and knelt next to the woman. He put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in her eyes with a gentle smile.

"True…your artwork is different from anything I've ever seen; however…I know you've probably had this said to you before; but you are a very special person, Yolanda. Your life experiences give you a unique perspective on things; and I believe that it is that unique perspective that you possess that really sets you apart from the crowd. You express it so vividly in your artwork, and in such a beautiful way. From color schemes to simple shapes, your artwork is truly your own. It is a wholly unique style that you've created. It is a genre of your own making. To me, your artwork isn't weird or nonsense. It is an expression of your outlook and it tells a story; that's what makes it so beautiful." Fred said. The woman stared at Fred.

"You know…there's something about you that makes me want to believe what you say." The woman said softly. Fred chuckled and held up his hands in surrender.

"Well, don't be too hasty to take my critique on artwork! I am no professional…but I am good friends with one…I think he would be most interested in seeing your work. Have you ever heard of Edgar Teglee?" Fred asked. The woman's jaw dropped.

"Y-Y-You know THE Edgar Teglee?!" She whispered. Fred chuckled and nodded.

"Yes. At one time, I was the orderly in charge of his care. I was also one of his fellow inmates…" Fred chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Anyway, He's coming to Paris for Christmas. He always does art sessions with the patients here during the Christmas holidays. I'll see to it that you get to meet him while he's here."

"Oh, Thank you, Fred!" The woman breathed.

"Speaking of crazy old friends…I'd better get going. I wouldn't want to miss Boyd's exam." Fred said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yolanda."

"Goodbye, Fred! Be safe!" The woman said. Fred jumped when a soft chuckle sounded from just beside him as he walked into the hall.

"You're so good with them, Fred." Said a cheerful voice. The cheer was only a mask to hide the underlying malice. Fred turned to find himself looking at a man in his mid thirties. He wore a black suit with the Psychonauts logo pinned to his lapel. His short, neatly combed hair was some astonishing, but natural shade of fire-engine red. His eyes were the same intense shade of red as they gleamed up at Fred from behind those gold framed oval glasses.

Danger lurked just behind those eyes; Fred knew it; but Fred just smiled pleasantly at the man.

"Grand Head Lerio! This is a surprise. What brings you to this humble hospital?" Fred asked. The man quirked a brow and smiled.

"I heard it told that you had worked your magic once again and gotten that woman to open up a little, Professor Doctor Bonaparte." Lerio said, motioning to the room that Fred had just exited.

"It's far from magic, sir, but yes. Yolanda is starting to come back out of her shell." Fred said.

"Has she mentioned anything about the DigitalDreamer Corp. scandal?" Lerio asked.

"One step at a time, sir. Before we can delve into the details, Yolanda needs to work through the trauma of witnessing all her co-workers being murdered." Fred said.

"So she hasn't mentioned anything about the scandal?" Lerio said, slightly disappointed.

"Well, she did say something about some guy named Hodyai. Does the name mean anything to you?" Fred asked. Lerio nodded, a small, gleeful smirk coming to his face. Apparently, this information pleased him.

"Sure does. He's the CEO under our main perp." Lerio said. "Did she say anything else?"

"No. She just mentioned Hodyai having a laptop and a keycard." Fred said.

"Perfect. This information is most helpful." Lerio said, obviously pleased. Fred crossed his arms and stared at Lerio with a small smirk.

"Now, Mr. Lerio…I refuse to believe that the Grand Head of the Psychonauts himself would come all the way down here just to check on Yolanda; however sweet a woman Yolanda is." Fred said. "Why did you _really _come?"

Lerio smirked.

"You don't miss a beat, do you? I'm surprised you even have to ask that question, Mr. Bonaparte." Lerio said casually. "Of course, I'm here to see you."

"Well, here I am." Fred said. He knew what was coming next.

"Come now, Mr. Bonaparte. Don't play coy. You know what I want." Lerio said. He put a hand on Fred's arm.

"You are the best of the best, Mr. Bonaparte. At age 24 you had already surpassed the skills of agency's best psychiatrists. You are young, handsome, wealthy, distinguished, and have a heart of gold and a mind sharp as a tack. The agency needs someone with your image! Your popularity! Your god-given skill!" Lerio said.

"Sir, I'm flattered, but I'm not even a psychic!" Fred chuckled. Lerio raised an eyebrow at Fred; locking his intense gaze on him. Lerio looked curious.

"Are you quite certain about that?" Lerio asked slowly. This caught Fred by surprise. His front faltered.

"What do you mean?" Fred asked. Lerio looked surprised now.

"Have you never considered the possibility? With your incredible skill and understanding of the workings of the mind?" Lerio asked.

"You've got mental defenses unlike any I've ever seen. Most of my _agents _don't have your kind of defensive strength. According to the report file on the incident with Oleander at Whispering Rock; Agent Sasha Nein himself couldn't break your defenses. Agent Aquato was the only one who could; and Agent Aquato had the strongest standing defensive capabilities of anyone in the agency recorded at the time." Lerio said.

"So…you've attempted to break into my mind and have read my confidential personal file." Fred said, his eyes narrowing slightly. Lerio smirked and shrugged. Fred did his best to remain composed.

"Why does it concern you? Have you perhaps something to hide?" Lerio asked.

"Not at all. Forgive me for being so blunt, but I wouldn't trust you or anyone you call a friend as far as I could throw you. I know that you don't like it when you don't get your way." Fred said. Lerio feigned a hurt expression.

"Oh…that was cold. Did you pick that up from that Social Scientist Tripe; or did he get it from you?" Lerio asked. Fred's expression darkened.

"I don't appreciate you speaking ill of Vernon; nor do I appreciate the way you've been harassing him." Fred said. Lerio shrugged nonchalantly.

"He's just as stubborn as you are…though quite less tolerant. Frustrating, really. I offer him a clean slate and he slams the door on the agent I sent to see him; and now he's gone and run off someplace." Lerio said.

"I can't say I blame him." Fred said. Lerio chuckled.

"Yes. You and he are a lot alike. You're both brilliant at what you do and you're both terribly stubborn…and you know, I heard something interesting the other day…It would seem that you're both gay as well." Lerio said. It took everything in Fred's power to remain stoic.

"Say what?" Fred asked with an amused chuckle.

"I heard you were seeing the UPS man or something like that." Lerio chuckled. "You were at some gay bar with him or something. I've also heard he's an ex-patient of yours as well…what a scandal!"

Fred quirked a brow.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat about sexual orientations and learn more about what you've learned from stalking Vernon and I; but you've just reminded me that I have a previous engagement." Fred said with a smile.

"Oh? Do you now?" Lerio asked, raising an eyebrow at Fred.

"Yes sir. My alleged 'boyfriend' is going to go from UPS man to his dream of being a Police man; and I am going to be there to cheer him on." Fred said. "So, I'm sorry, sir, but I must decline your proposal and be on my way. Have a nice day!"

Fred was about to start back down the hall when a gigantic blonde haired man came thundering down the hall, yelling loudly. He practically tackled Fred to the ground. Fred coughed, winded.

"Oh, I sowy, Fwed! Vewy sowy." The man mumbled sheepishly, effortlessly picking Fred up off of the floor and setting him back on his feet.

"It's okay, Gerald." Fred said, patting the man on the head. "Why the rush?"

"I heared that Fwed was leaving early today, so I comed to give you a hug before you left." The man said with a large grin. He pulled Fred into a bear hug, lifting the tall Frenchman clear off his feet before setting him back down again. Fred chuckled, trying to catch his breath, and patted the man on the back.

"Right. I had almost forgotten to give you a hug before I left. Thank you for reminding me." Fred said. The man grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, I must be off now. Yolanda is in the art room. Why don't you go keep her company?" Fred suggested.

"Okay! I will draw you a picture of a Christmas tree to put in your office for Christmas!" The man said.

"That would be lovely, Gerald." Fred said with a gentle smile. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

The man waved goodbye to Fred before dashing into the art room. Fred chuckled to himself and straightened out his clothes. Then, he remembered that Lerio was still there. Lerio was standing in the same spot smiling at Fred in a manor that was most unnerving.

"My, my, my…he lifted you up as though you were nothing more than a toy. He is frighteningly strong." Lerio said. Fred suppressed the urge to shudder at Lerio's tone; but smiled anyway.

"Who, Gerald? Yes, he is quite the powerhouse; but I've been working with him. He's gotten a lot better at controlling his strength. He's got a spirit that's as gentle as a kitten." Fred chuckled. He glanced down at his watch.

"Well, I really must be off. Good day to you, Grand Head Lerio." Fred said before taking off down the hall. Lerio remained where he was with that unnerving smirk on his face.

_Interesting. Very interesting. I have learned much about you today. Your compassion is moving, Bonaparte. I think I can exploit that. You'll accept my offer eventually._

Lerio heard the large man yelp from the art room. He was about to start crying when Lerio looked in. He was holding a broken crayon. Yolanda was consoling him and handing him a new crayon; which made Gerald feel much better. Again, Lerio smirked.

_Gentle as a kitten, huh? Well, kittens have a tendency to scratch and bite when they play…sometimes, they don't know their own strength…_

_The mentally unstable can have surprisingly violent tendencies under the right…circumstances. Bonaparte is far too trusting…it would be an absolute tragedy if that trust got him hurt…_

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

Fred shuddered and rubbed his arms as he ran down the street toward the police academy. Fred and Lerio had a mutual dislike of one another; and they both knew it. Phoebe was right to fear for Fred's safety; because people who opposed Lerio had a funny way of finding tragedy.

Lerio was a real snake in the grass. Fred knew that; but he couldn't help but wonder about what Lerio had said about him being psychic. Lerio seemed genuine about it; but then again, Lerio was…well…Lerio. Fred pushed the though to the back of his mind.

Today was Boyd's day. Fred could discuss it with him later.

Fred met up with Boyd as Boyd was leaving the locker room. He looked pale. It was obvious that he hadn't gotten much sleep; but seeing Fred there seemed to take a lot of Boyd's stress away. He smiled cheerfully at Fred as he approached.

"Hey, Fred. I was starting to think you weren't coming." Boyd said.

"What? Come on, Boyd. You know I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Fred said. Boyd smiled.

"Yeah…I guess it's just nerves." Boyd said. Fred put a hand on Boyd's shoulder.

"Some person who's name escapes me once said that if you aren't nervous, then you aren't talented." Fred said. (A/N: thanks for the quote, Sophie!) "You're going to do fine."

"I hope so." Boyd said.

"Well, I know so!" Fred said. Boyd smiled sheepishly.

"How'd the written test go?" Fred asked.

"You know…I actually think I did pretty well on it!" Boyd said. Fred patted Boyd on the back.

"That's the spirit. Besides; by the time I was done quizzing you last night, you knew the material front and back." Fred said.

"And you obviously haven't slept since then." Fred teased. Boyd chuckled.

"You got that right." Boyd said.

"Or eaten." Fred said smugly, pulling a brown bag out of his satchel. Boyd stared at Fred in astonishment for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Fred, it is scary how well you know me." Boyd said, taking the back from Fred.

"Turkey and Swiss on wheat with mayo, mustard, and BBQ sauce. Yeah. I'd say I know you pretty well." Fred said. Boyd sighed and hugged Fred.

"I love you, Fred…" He sighed. Fred couldn't help but blush. Boyd hadn't noticed. He was now too busy with his lunch.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

…okay, so I end with a warm and fuzzy hug between Fred and Boyd. Meanwhile, half of the rebellion is getting their brains blown out all over the sidewalk by the Mafia in a cliché dark ally on a cold, dreary winter night in New Jersey….

God, please let the Mikhail-Maloof scene in this chapter be better than that god-awful piece of shit I put in Loyalties and Where They Lie…

Anyway; Lerio has finally made his big debut! It would seem that he has some dark plans concerning Fred…

What has Lerio got in store for Fred? Could Lerio be right about Fred being a psychic, or is it one of his mind games? Will Boyd pass his exam? Have I gone and off'd one or more of our New Jersey delegation?

Find out in the next installment of Up Against the World!

P.S: Come on, guys! Pleeeease review!? (puppy face) Each review gives Boyd the strength to run the obstacle course! Help Boyd become a police officer! Leave a review!


	10. Benny's Sacrifice

0 o…. XD! YAY! THE REVIEWERS ARE BACK! And they brought friends! (ULTRAHAPPYSQUEE!) (HUGS AND DIGITAL COOKIES ALL AROUND!)

To DigitalDreamer: SQUEE! X3! I'm so glad it turned out okay! T.A.T.u is awesome, and DigitalDreamer Industries just sounds cool anyway lol XD!

To Robhol: (blush!) Aw! Thanks! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

To Lyn: Yay! You're back! I feel your pain…my dad is retired from the Coast Guard, so I've moved more than enough times to know how it goes lol. My last move, I was without internet connection for nearly an entire YEAR. It was sheer HELL! I'm so glad that the flashback scene turned out alright. I guess I'm a sucker for dramatic romance 8B! Raz'll get back in the swing of things eventually! For chapter 9, that's exactly what I was shooting for! Yay! Yes! Byebye, Ruliano! And…remind me never to provoke you 0.o…lol, just kidding. Yes, Fred is wise and Vernon is just inexperienced; and as for Boyd's sandwich; I think he'd probably have a taste for weird stuff like that, lol. Thanks for the review!

To Firefly: Thank you and I guess you're about to find out lol! Thanks for the review!

DarkestBeFourDawn: I have sudden random obsessions that come and go too, XD! I'm honestly very curious to know where you expected me to take the story…(Blush!) aw, thanks! Yes! Tatu is awesome! Thanks so much for the review and fave!

To Zikka-Chan: Squee! Thanks! You can count on more FredxBoyd fluff coming soon!

**Chapter 10**

_RAZPUTIN!_

His name was said again, but this time, the tone was softer and anxious.

_Razputin!_

Then, it became a soft inquiry.

_Razputin?_

Then, it fell to a whisper.

_Razputin…_

"…_Suffering from severe mental overexertion…" _

A different voice was speaking now. It was another female that Raz was certain that he knew from somewhere.

"…_Was lucky we found him so quickly and were able to treat him." _

"_Will he be alright?" _It was the first voice again. Raz was starting to hear the voices more clearly now.

"With a few days of strict bed rest, yes." Said the second voice. There was a long silence.

"…And the others?" The first voice asked very softly and hesitantly.

"…_Others?"_ Raz thought to himself.

Suddenly, he sat bolt upright.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHERS?!" Raz cried. Lili and Elka jumped; startled by his sudden unexpected outburst. There was also a blonde male in the room who must have jumped six feet in the air at the sound of Raz's voice.

Raz quickly regretted the outburst when an intense wave of fatigue and dizziness crashed down on him. He would have fallen out of the bed had Lili not caught him.

"Dear _god_…" The blonde male gasped, leaning against the wall and clutching his chest as he recovered from the scare.

"Raz! Thank god!" Lili whispered, hugging him tightly. Raz sunk into Lili's embrace and closed his eyes, trying to pull himself together. When Raz was able to raise his head, he got a good look at the blonde male. The blonde male was staring right back at him; his expression wary.

"My god…Nils? Nils Lutefisk?" Raz asked softly. The blonde rubbed his eyes and turned around. He quickly whirled back around to face Raz, wide eyed. When Raz was still there, the blonde raked his shaky fingers through his hair slowly.

"Holy shit…this is for real…you really are back…" He whispered. He turned back to the wall to try to compose himself.

"Nils is still a little overwhelmed by all this." Elka said, putting a hand on Nils' shoulder.

"Well, honey, put yourself in my shoes! I don't get visions like you do! You call me in the middle of the night completely frantic; so I think something horrible has happened to you, and you call me down to some little alleyway in some hellhole crime infested New Jersey town to help you drag 4 old friends; two of whom are convicts, one who I haven't heard from in years, and one who's supposed to be DEAD to Dogen's house and all the while I only get snippets of some gay love story, revenge, and a gunfight between Russian and Italian mobsters and a rebellion!" Nils cried.

Lili found herself caught in Raz's piercing stare. His expression was grave.

"L-lili…What happened to Benny, Maloof, and Mikhail?" Raz asked. Much to Raz's horror, all three parties in the room refused to meet his gaze.

"I caught up with you and Benny just in time to see you pass out. Benny was unconscious with a gunshot wound to his shoulder…a-and…" Lili said softly.

"What about Maloof and Mikhail?" Raz asked.

"We got ahold of a couple of mob flunkies…From what we've pieced together, we're guessing that Mikhail joined up with the Russian Mafia for the sole purpose of having the opportunity to get at Maloof. Last night, Mikhail carried out a hit on the Italian mob boss in exchange for being allowed to do whatever he wanted with the boss's consort; the consort, of course, being Maloof. So, after Mikhail killed the Italian boss, the other Russians had sense enough to run in case someone heard the shot and called the cops while Mikhail stayed to finish off Maloof." Lili began.

"After seeing the Russians run off, the Italians must have figured out something was going on. They discovered that their boss had been shot. They went after Mikhail to get revenge. The Russians saw this and rushed to help Mikhail. When they all got there, Maloof and Mikhail were strangling each other. The Russians shot at Maloof to save Mikhail and the Italians shot at Mikhail to save Maloof…" Lili said. Raz paled dramatically.

"I-I've done all I can for them…" Elka whispered.

"There was blood everywhere…they were lying there…barely breathing…Maloof still had his hands around Mikhail's neck from when he was trying to strangle him and Mikhail still had his arms around Maloof's waist, trying to pull him off." Lili said quietly. Raz leaned back against the headboard of the bed and hung his head. For a long time, he just stared at his own hands.

"H-how bad?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I-it's bad." Lili whispered, her voice wavering.

Benny lay awake in the next room, staring at the ceiling with tears streaming down his cheeks as he listened in on the conversation in the next room.

"Maloof is suffering from 5 broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a gunshot wound to the arm, three more to his back, and a fifth that blew out his left kneecap. He's lost a lot of blood." Elka said softly. Benny could tell by the way she spoke that she was crying.

"Maloof is doing just a little better than Mikhail…oh, god…what can I do!?" Elka sobbed.

"What is it?" Raz asked.

"Both of Mikhail's kidneys were damaged beyond salvation…unless he gets a transplant soon, h-he…he'll…" Elka whimpered.

"That can't happen. If Mikhail dies, Maloof won't be far behind." Raz said softly, voicing Benny's thoughts. Benny hoisted himself out of bed and hobbled toward the doorway.

"What's Mikhail's blood type?" Raz asked.

"B negative." Elka said softly. Raz cursed vividly.

"Damn antigens…" He growled.

"If only I hadn't taken that bullet back in Tailand; I'd have a second kidney to spare!" Nils hissed, frustrated.

"If only I didn't have that damned antigen…Fucking B positive blood…" Raz fumed.

"Save your energy for things that you'll be able to make a difference in, Raz." Benny said grimly, hobbling into view of the others. Raz cursed again.

"There has to be something!" Raz said.

"Somebody drug this guy before he hurts himself, please!" Benny drawled. Raz went livid.

He gave Benny a look of disbelief, astonishment, and absolute outrage that would have had Benny rolling on the ground crying with laughter at any other time. He had never before seen that expression on the rambunctious redhead.

"You're just going to have to let me give Mikhail one of my kidneys, find a support group, and deal with it." Benny said. Raz's expression softened; but he still gaped at Benny. Lili and Elka were staring as well.

"I got 2 healthy kidneys and B negative blood." Benny said. "Take one of my kidneys and give it to Mikhail. If it'll save Mikhail, it'll save Maloof; and it'll be well worth it."

Benny tapped his foot impatiently as the others continued to gape at him.

"Well? We gonna do this or what?!" Benny asked. "Best do it now, before I regain my sanity!"

Elka nodded slowly and hesitantly led Benny out of the room. Nils sunk down into a chair with a loud sigh.

"Damn…what a day…" He whispered.

"Maloof's captor is dead, so we didn't have to send Mikhail's parents and Maloof's mom into hiding after all." Lili said softly. "Elka contacted me just before I could get ahold of them. She said that she had had the same vision with Maloof and Mikhail over again, but this time, you and Benny were lying on the ground with them. That's when I turned around and went back to find you. I met up with Elka and we found you just after you had passed out."

"How do you feel?" Lili asked. Raz sighed, unable to get up. He closed his eyes.

"Like shit." He said softly.

"You did everything you could, Raz. If you start feeling guilty about this, I swear I'm going to make you wish you'd stayed in France." Lili said. She fidgeted slightly. She knew that she wasn't very good at this sort of thing.

"Well…on the bright side, Nils has agreed to join the rebellion." Lili said, motioning to Nils. Nils smiled slightly.

"What the Psychonauts have become…what they're using their agents to do…it doesn't feel right. Sasha stood against it, JT stood against it, Elka's standing against it…hell, you're practically back from the dead and standing against it…none of you have ever led me astray, so I'll stand too." Nils said.

"You've matured into a good man, Nils." Raz said with a light smile. "Thanks for your faith and your help."

"Speaking of Jt…while I was trying to get Mikhail's parents and Maloof's mom into hiding; I started thinking that there's a possibility that Sasha could have sent JT into hiding through the same system." Lili said.

"You have a lead?" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"Don't worry about it. Dogen is on it. Just get some rest for now." Lili said, tears stinging her eyes.

"Lili? What's wrong?" Raz asked. Lili shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"You had me really worried, Raz. When you collapsed, I didn't know if you had been shot or what…for a minute, I thought I was going to loose you for real…" Lili said softly. Raz sighed and hugged Lili gently. She buried her face in his neck and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Promise me that you'll never leave me like that again, Razputin Aquato." Lili whispered. Raz kissed Lili's forehead.

"I swear to you. Lilith Zanotto; I'm not going anywhere." Raz whispered.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

Fred's entire body was tense. He was unconsciously holding his breath and his fingers were crossed.

"Adder, Riley; Passed. Anderson, Fillmore; Failed. Baroli, Tulus; Failed." The instructor read.

"Bennet, Harold; Failed. Carson, Jillian; passed. Charelston, Viola; Failed. Cooper, Boyd…" The instructor continued. Fred's eyes went back and forth from the instructor to Boyd.

"Passed." The instructor said. Fred managed to refrain from bursting into mad cheering. He exhaled the breath he had been holding and slumped against the wall, muffling his gleeful laughter with his jacket.

It seemed like an eternity before the instructor finished reading the list of trainees and finally dismissed everyone.

"All right, Boyd! You da man! I KNEW you'd do it!" Fred laughed, hugging Boyd. Boyd was still a little overwhelmed by the fact that his dream was coming true. Fred chuckled and patted Boyd on the back.

"So, Mr. Cooper; what do you plan to do now that you've passed your big exam?" Fred asked in a reporter-like tone. Boyd laughed.

"well…I'm afraid I'm a little old for Disney World…" Boyd said.

"How about a celebration dinner at Le Petite Café? My treat." Fred said. Boyd gaped at him.

"It's IMPOSSIBLE to get in there!" Boyd said.

"I guess that makes me amazing; because I have reservations for us tonight." Fred said, winking at Boyd.

"I don't think I own anything fancy enough that would allow them to even let me in…" Boyd chuckled.

"Wear your new uniform. It suits you well, Officer Cooper." Fred said, elbowing Boyd playfully and gesturing to Boyd's newly issued uniform.

"Go hit the showers, get changed, and we'll go. I'll wait for you right here." Fred said. Boyd nodded faintly and turned toward the locker rooms.

"I can't believe this is really happening…" He muttered dreamily as he walked away. Fred chuckled to himself.

It didn't take very long for Boyd to get changed. When he came out of the locker rooms, Boyd noticed that Fred had a troubled expression. He hadn't noticed that Boyd had come out of the locker room yet, so he jumped when Boyd put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's bothering you, Fred?" Boyd asked. Fred hesitated for a moment before answering. He looked to Boyd and smiled.

"Nothing that can't wait. Now, come on. Let's go!" Fred said, not giving an opportunity for Boyd to press the subject.

Fred was grinning like a madman the closer the two came to the café.

"What are you up to, Bonaparte?" Boyd asked.

"You'll see." Fred cackled as they approached the door of the café.

"Reservations under the name Bonaparte." Fred told the host. He nodded and led them into the café. Boyd started laughing as he figured out which table they were to be seated at. Phoebe, Quentin, Gloria, and Edgar were all sitting together, grinning from ear to ear. Before Boyd could dodge them, they all got up and set off party poppers.

"CONGRADULATIONS, OFFICER COOPER!" They all cried. Boyd laughed and greeted each of them enthusiastically. While Boyd's attention was focused on greeting the others, Fred whispered to Phoebe.

"Where are Franke and Vernon?" Fred asked. Phoebe shrugged.

"I'm not sure. We didn't know if Vernon would be coming in the first place; but Franke said she'd be here…" Phoebe whispered back.

"Sheegor isn't here either…" Fred said.

"She said she couldn't make it. She sends her love, though." Phoebe said. Fred nodded.

"I could hardly get of the plane, dear! This one wanted an autograph and that one wanted a picture; but being here to celebrate this day with you is well worth it. Besides, we come down here for Christmas every year since we were freed; so this just means we have an extra two weeks to spend together!" Gloria said.

"It's not every day a close friend lives his dream." Edgar said.

"I don't know what I did to deserve such good friends, but I sure am glad to see you guys." Boyd said.

They all sat down to a wonderful dinner; but Boyd noticed that, behind all the smiling faces, everyone seemed to be acting strangely.

"You guys? Is something wrong?" Boyd asked. Edgar shook his head.

"No. Nothing's wrong. It's just that…You've got that same sparkle in your eyes as _he _did on the day he was inducted into the Psychonauts." Edgar trailed off. He chuckled.

"I barely knew him, but when I watched him get up on that stage during that ceremony, I felt such pride for him as though he were my own flesh and blood." Edgar said. Gloria smiled sadly.

"He had a way of evoking peoples emotions. He was living his dream that day, just as Boyd is now." Gloria said. For a moment, Boyd forgot about Raz's return himself.

"I can't tell you how many times that I've wished that I could have taken his place." Boyd said softly.

"He'd be so proud of you right now, Boyd." Fred said.

"We're all proud of you." Edgar said. Gloria put a hand on Boyd's shoulder.

"Just please…Try not to follow Razputin's ways too closely." Gloria said softly. Boyd chuckled.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Gloria. Being like Razputin…those are some high standards. Standards that I don't think I'll ever be able to measure up to. I don't think I'll ever be that good." Boyd said.

"There are very few who will ever be so good." Fred said softly.

"We just hope you'll be careful." Gloria said.

"I will, Gloria." Boyd said. Boyd glanced over to find Phoebe whispering worriedly to Quentin, who, Boyd realized had been oddly silent all evening. Fred had noticed it too.

"Boyd, I think we need to leave now." Fred said quietly to Boyd.

"What's wrong?" Boyd whispered back.

"I-I'm not sure. I just get the feeling this is not the place we need to be right now…" Fred whispered back. Boyd nodded. He could tell Fred felt strongly about this.

"Edgar, Gloria; you two must be tired from your long trip. Why don't we take the celebration back to my place?" Fred said. When no one disagreed, the party left the café.

Fred moved to walk beside Quentin.

"Something's gone wrong, hasn't it?" Fred said quietly.

"Something…but I'm not sure what." Quentin said back. "whatever it is, it's causing great panic and anguish. It's close, but at the same time, very far away."

Fred suddenly found his eyes drawn to a street corner. He couldn't look away. He was waiting for something. Quentin had paused for a split second before continuing down the street.

"It's right around that corner." He whispered, looking toward the same corner that Fred was looking at.

"What should we be ready for? Friend? Foe? Attack? Defense? Should we try to evade?" Phoebe asked, immediately becoming alert.

"…just keep moving forward." Quentin said hesitantly, quickening his gate slightly.

Just before they reached the street corner, Quentin stopped in his tracks and hissed a soft curse.

"Bobby!" He whispered. Just as a figure walked into sight, Phoebe and Quentin engaged their invisibility.

Much to Fred's surprise, he found himself locking eyes with a very frazzled and out of breath orange haired woman.

"Franke? What's wrong?" Fred asked.

"Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time. Congratulations, Boyd!" Franke said, running up to the group.

"Not here." She whispered to Fred, faking an excited smile.

"Well, I'm afraid you missed dinner. Care to join us back at my place?" Fred offered.

"I'd love to." Franke said. The walk back to Fred's place was occupied by feigned cheerful chatting. Once they were inside, Fred and Franke became dead serious.

"I was being followed. They sent Bobby to come looking for Vernon!" Franke blurted.

"Where is Vernon?" Fred asked.

"I tried to make him listen! I really did; but you know he's just so stubborn…he's just so hurt…" Franke rambled.

"What'd he say?" Fred asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He had no emotion whatsoever. He just went back to his room and started packing, then Bobby showed up…" Franke said.

"What happened?" Fred asked.

"He's gone to the Mayan Ruins!" Franke said, sobbing softly.

"I don't get it. What's happening?" Boyd asked. Gloria and Edgar looked equally puzzled.

"Phoebe and Quentin have left…Everyone to my office. Gloria, Edgar, we have a lot to fill you in on." Fred said.

Once everyone was in his office, Fred closed the door and lowered the blinds.

"Gloria, Edgar…I was planning to wait until Christmas so that you could see him for yourselves; but I think you deserve to know that Razputin D'artagan Aquato is very much alive." Fred said. Gloria and Edgar gaped at him.

"How? When?" Edgar stammered. Fred and Boyd went on to explain how they found Demetri who turned out to be Raz. Edgar and Gloria were silent and pale.

"In light of this…I think there is something that you all should know…" Gloria, Edgar, Fred, and Boyd said at the same time. They all looked up at one another.

"Ladies first." Fred said hesitantly.

"Well…I'm sure you all know about Agent Nein's secret rebellion…" Gloria began nervously.

"A-as a matter of fact, I..I-I happen to have been a part of it…" Edgar confessed. The others all gaped at him.

"W-well…well so was I…" Gloria said.

"You know…with Razputin's return…" Edgar began.

"We could rebuild the rebellion..." Gloria finished.

"Already taken care of." Fred said. Gloria and Edgar gaped at Fred.

"The rebellion never died in the first place. Boyd and I have been a part of it all along as well." Fred said.

"Why ever didn't we know that we were all in the rebellion together?" Gloria asked.

"Sasha is a brilliant man. He wanted to make certain that the rebels couldn't all be linked together; and thusly traced to usurp the entire operation. He made sure that we were disjointed and had limited knowledge…brilliant…absolutely brilliant…" Fred muttered.

"So the rebellion is still active?" Edgar asked. Fred nodded.

"Even now, we have a plan in motion. Razputin has joined us. He will reveal himself to the world soon. Lerio will want someone as well respected as Raz is on his side. He will keep Raz close to him; therefore Raz will become our most valuable spy." Fred said.

"What is your position in the rebellion?" Edgar asked.

"When Sasha was leading us, I handled the coordination of all of our spy operations." Fred said. "I've also been a financial supporter as well as a deviant for the rebellion. I bait the public with false fabrications to explain activities in the media that are a result of the work of the rebellion to lead them away from straying into ponderings of a conspiracy." Fred said.

"I've been a financial supporter as well as a messenger. I create paintings that actually contain a code for a message that needs to be passed on. I know by the strokes used in the piece and the comments made by the buyer whom to give the painting to to be decoded. Even I do not know what most of the messages I paint mean." Edgar explained.

"I, of course, have been a financial supporter too; but I have also been a front used to gather information. When I go on tour, most of my stage hands and such are rebels. Other rebels come to the performances and exchange information in codes. Of course; the people change so often, I don't know who is and who isn't a rebel and I never know when the information is being exchanged since it's in a code that I don't know. One of the rebels always tells me what I need to do." Gloria said.

"So then…for all we know, there are still operations being carried out under our noses that we don't know about." Fred said.

"It would seem so." Edgar said.

"Razputin is currently on a recruiting mission. He'll be back here with us during Christmas time and you'll be able to see him again." Fred said.

"We just got a disturbing report from New Jersey regarding a double homicide." A voice said from right beside Boyd. Boyd jumped when Quentin appeared right beside him.

"Fugitive Maloof Canola and deserter Mikhail Bulgakov murdered each other in a bloody mafia power struggle incident." Phoebe said, appearing beside her husband.

"T-th…they're dead?" Franke whispered.

"There's a fifty-fifty chance that Raz found them and set up fake deaths for them." Phoebe said. Quentin looked grim.

"It was also reported that two people matching Benny's and Raz's description were involved in the incident and sustained injury. The two remain unidentified and missing." Quentin said.

"There's nothing we can do but wait until they contact us." Fred said grimly.

"What was Bobby doing at your house, Franke?" Quentin asked.

"He was looking for Vernon." Franke said softly. She was starting to cry.

"Tell us what happened." Phoebe said.

"I-I was trying to tell Vernon about the rebellion and how Raz was back…but he just wouldn't listen…he wont hear it…it must have upset him; so he went back to his apartment and started packing his bags, and that's when Bobby showed up. The agency sent him to talk to Vernon. Vernon just asked if Bobby was going to spew bullshit too and then he left. When I asked him where, He just said that he was going away." Franke said.

"He's going to the Mayan Ruins, I just know it! He'll be gone for god knows how long and burry himself in his studies and just grow colder and colder!" Franke sobbed.

"I miss my friend Vernon…the one with the warm, tranquil eyes…the sweet, serene disposition…the gentle nature…the calm and caring and peaceful outlook…the one who's a tad bit shy, but doesn't mind too much what others think of him…will I ever see that Vernon again; or did he die when Elton had his accident?" Franke whispered.

"That Vernon is in there somewhere, Franke. He's just very shy and afraid and needs some coaxing out." Fred assured her softly.

"I'm afraid that for now, we can only wait and give Vernon his space." Phoebe said. Quentin shook his head.

"No. someone needs to be keeping an eye on him. I get the feeling that he may be in more danger than we or even he himself realizes." Quentin said.

"How so?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know. I just get the feeling that Lerio wants Vernon for some reason aside from his skills in the sciences. There has always been something vaguely ominous to Vernon; even when we were all children, I noticed it." Quentin said. "I get the feeling that he might be hiding something; and Lerio has figured out what it is. Lerio has an eye for detail; I'll give him that much."

"H-how good an eye?" Fred asked hesitantly.

"Really good. Why?" Quentin asked, raising an eyebrow at Fred.

"Well…um…have you ever noticed anything…abnormal about me?" Fred asked.

"You're eight feet tall." Boyd said flatly.

"Aside from that!" Fred said, blushing deeply.

"Define 'strange'." Quentin said.

"As in my psyche." Fred said. Phoebe and Quentin looked at one another.

"No…nothing really jumps out at me." Quentin said.

"I was afraid you'd say that…" Fred said.

"What's going on, Fred?" Phoebe asked.

"Lerio came to see me today. He said some things that got me wondering…" Fred said.

"What sort of things?" Phoebe asked.

"Do you guys think I might be a psychic?" Fred asked hesitantly. Everyone looked genuinely surprised.

"What brought this about?" Quentin asked.

"You guys said that nothing jumps out at you about my psyche…" Fred began. An expression of realization donned on Quentin's face.

"How could I have missed that for all these years?" Quentin breathed.

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"NOTHING jumps out at me about Fred's psyche. Absolutely NOTHING. I am one of the most sensitive empaths in the world; and I've never sensed anything from Fred." Quentin said.

"There are only three things that could result in such an outcome. Being brain dead, being insane, or having incredibly powerful mental defenses…" Phoebe said.

"He's not brain dead, and he's not insane, leaving us with only one option…" Quentin said. Everyone stared at Fred.

_**Thisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischangingthisisthelinethatmeansthesceneischanging**_

The door to Benny's room was open just a crack. The crack was just big enough that he could see Maloof crying quietly into his pillow.

Raz was resting in a room down the hall; out of Maloof's sight and knowledge; because it seemed like a bad time to push that kind of shocker on Maloof.

Maloof hadn't spoken a word since he regained consciousness. He didn't even seem to realize who Elka, Nils, Dogen, and Lili were. Benny had yet to approach Maloof.

Maloof had, on his own accord, against the protests of the others, gotten up and gone into Mikhail's room; so, the others tried a different approach and moved Maloof's bed into Mikhail's room. The others kept a close watch on the two to make sure Mikhail didn't wake up and decide to attack Maloof.

Benny felt his heart fracture little by little as Maloof got up, intending to walk over to Mikhail, but loose his courage and curl back up on his bed, crying.

It was almost like Maloof was taunting him; rubbing it in Benny's face that Benny wasn't the one that Maloof loved most.

Maloof froze as he heard Mikhail stir. Cautiously, he glanced over at the Russian. He saw Mikhail's eyes flutter open and turned to face away from the Russian dejectedly.

Mikhail took a few minutes to take in his surroundings before he noticed Maloof lying in a second bed a few yards away.

Benny's heart was pounding as Mikhail's eyes locked onto Maloof's battered body.

Part of Benny wanted to scream for someone to go in there and stop Mikhail from killing Maloof as Mikhail got up slowly and started toward the smaller boy; but another part of Benny was at peace with whatever should happen between them. Even if it meant watching Mikhail murder Maloof right then and there; that seemed alright since the murder was committed by the hands of Maloof's soul mate. At least there would finally be a closure between the two.

Benny started wondering which was worse; silently watching Maloof being murdered, or the sight he was witnessing instead.

Mikhail gingerly climbed up onto Maloof's bed and laid down beside him; slipping his arms around Maloof's waist and pulling him close to his chest. He buried his face in Maloof's soft curls and inhaled his scent deeply, then gently moved to press his lips against the tantalizing golden skin of Maloof's neck; Mikhail was doing all the things that Benny had dreamed of.

Not once during this did Maloof look at Mikhail. Maloof cringed under Mikhail's touch and drew back from his advances.

"We're alive, my beloved." Mikhail whispered, planting another gentle kiss on Maloof's neck.

"Are you sure that we're not just in hell?" Maloof whispered back.

"If this is hell, then I regret nothing I've done in my life." Mikhail breathed, stroking Maloof's soft curls. "If anything, this is heaven. Why else would I be holding such a perfect angel in my arms?"

"Please stop." Maloof whimpered, tears springing to his eyes once more.

"I'm sorry…am I hurting you?" Mikhail asked, carefully putting a little distance between himself and Maloof on the bed.

"You have no idea…" Maloof whispered.

"Why won't you look Misha in the eyes?" Mikhail asked softly.

"I can't…" Maloof whimpered.

"Why not?" Mikhail asked.

"Because Misha's Tiny Boss was murdered a long time ago." Maloof said.

"What are you talking about?" Mikhail asked.

"This can't be happening, Mikhail…" Maloof said.

"But it is." Mikhail whispered.

"You don't understand. Mikhail, I can't do this!" Maloof said.

"Can't do what?" Mikhail asked.

"I can't be with you!" Maloof sobbed.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_

SURPRISE! Gloria and Edgar are in the rebellion! They, along with Nils and Bobby have made their entrance into the storyline.

Could Fred indeed be a psychic? Why can't Maloof be with Mikhail? Find out in the next exciting chapter of Up Against the World!

Your reviews have, this week, all gone to help Boyd pass the Police exam and get him onto the force! This week, all reviews will go to the "Extra Fluffy Moments" fund to promote many fluffy moments between couples in the next chapter; so leave a review so we can get that fluff flowing!


	11. His Reasons

To DarkestBeforeDawn: Yeah, I know what you mean XP. Thanks for the review!

To Digitaldreamer: wah! Don't facepalm yet! Maloof's emoing is all part of mah MASTAH PLAN! You'll see ;)

To Fireflyoflight: XD! I am da CLIFFIE QUEEN! MWA HAHAHAHAAAAA! Thanks for the review!

To Kodra: Don't worry, I'm going to develop Quentin and Phoebe a lot more in upcoming chapters. I appreciate your honesty in your analysis of my portrayal of them. As for the MikhailxMaloof thing…totally my fault! I'm sorry! I realize that I didn't elaborate NEARLY enough that Maloof wasn't just their sex toy; but their secret weapon. - - I didn't mean for him to come off just as a man-whore - - hopefully, this chapter will portray that just a little better. Thanks for the review!

To Lyn: How's the move going? YAY KINDEY MUSICAL CHAIRS! XD! I LOVE IT! as for the hospital scene (it's actually Dogen's house); I should have elaborated a little more… I meant for that to be happening a few days after the transplant - - sorry. Depression makes my writing suck. My trip to Russia got canceled that day, so I was ultra depressed, but now, the trip is back on and I've been officially accepted as a student ambassador on the 20 student delegation to Europe this summer, so SQUEE! Hopefully my happy will be an anti-suckie agent in this chapter!

To Zikka-chan: so you have wished it, so shall it be! (waves magic popsickle)

MAGIC! 

Chapter 11

Mikhail stared at Maloof. Tears were streaming down the younger boy's face.

"What do you mean, you can't be with me?" Mikhail asked softly. After a moment, a look of realization dawned on him and a sudden meekness overcame his posture.

"Oh…stupid question…of course…I tried to kill you…" Mikhail muttered. "Maloof, I-I know I've done some terrible things…b-but…but please…I-I love you….let me make it up to you! please! Give me another chance, I beg of you…I swear I'll never try to hurt you a--"

"NO!" Maloof cried, turning to face Mikhail. His voice softened.

"No…no, Mikhail…it's not about that. I deserved all of that. It's me who should be begging you to forgive me and take me back…" Maloof said softly. Mikhail cupped Maloof's cheek, making Maloof look him in the eyes.

"You deserve better than me, Mikhail." Maloof whispered.

"Bullshit. You're the only one good enough for me." Mikhail answered softly. He peered deep into Maloof's eyes and began to stroke his cheek with his thumb.

"Beloved…" Mikhail whispered. "Tell me what it is that makes you think that you are so undeserving of my love."

Fresh tears streamed down Maloof's cheeks. He wouldn't meet Mikhail's eyes.

"I'm not the same person that I was back then, Mikhail." Maloof breathed.

"I don't believe that." Mikhail said gently. He leaned closer to Maloof.

"You're still short and scrawny and cute…you still have the same irresistible lips…that sweet voice…and the same beautiful eyes that contain the heavens themselves within their depths." Mikhail said. A light blush rose to Maloof's cheeks. Mikhail trailed his fingers down Maloof's cheek and continued down his neck.

"You are still the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on." Mikhail whispered, gently pressing his lips to Maloof's neck. He felt Maloof shudder and try to pull away as Mikhail's fingers passed down his collar bone.

"No, Mikhail…I'm not." Maloof whimpered. "You wouldn't be saying such things if you saw all of me…"

Mikhail paused.

"What do you mean?" Mikhail asked. Maloof wouldn't meet his eyes. He turned away from Mikhail.

"I-I'm damaged goods, Mikhail." Maloof whispered. "I've lost count of how many people have laid hands on me…"

"In what way?" Mikhail asked hesitantly.

"Whatever way that they wanted…" Maloof confessed with a soft sniffle. He finally looked up into Mikhail's eyes.

"I was their toy, Mikhail. I was their Barbie doll. They controlled everything I did right down to the way I dressed. They made me do their dirty work, they made me their punching bag, and they made me their bitch." Maloof sobbed.

Mikhail stared wide eyed at Maloof for a long moment. He put a hand on Maloof's shoulder.

"Tell me everything." Mikhail said.

TEHGREATDIVIDER

Gloria and Edgar had gone to bed and Quentin had left. Boyd found Fred sitting alone in his office by the fire, fidgeting with a small black box. He appeared to be deep in thought.

Boyd approached him quietly and laid a hand on his shoulder. Fred jumped sharply, nearly dropping the little black box.

"Oh! Boyd!" He cried, blushing deeply and fumbling to hide the little black box. "I-I thought you were still chatting with Edgar…"

"He's tired from the long trip. He went to bed." Boyd said. The two sat in awkward silence for a long moment.

Fred let out a soft sigh.

"Today was supposed to be your big day…what a disaster." Fred said.

"What are you talking about? Today was a great day!" Boyd said.

"I wanted to make this evening all about you…but it didn't work out the way I'd planned, obviously." Fred chuckled.

"Don't worry about it, Fred. I had a great time tonight. Almost all my closest friends are here; and that's plenty for me." Boyd said. Fred smirked.

"Well, I got you a present anyway." He chuckled, handing Boyd the black box. "I was planning to give it to you at the café, but, well…you know how that turned out."

"Fred, you didn't have to get me anything." Boyd said.

"But I did, because you deserve it." Fred said.

"Just open the damn box, Boyd!" Fred snapped playfully before Boyd could speak again. Boyd chuckled and opened the box.

His jaw went slack and his eyes widened as he peered into the box.

"Fred…this is…" Boyd whispered.

Inside the box was a beautiful gold pocket watch with "Officer Boyd Cooper" inscribed on its cover.

"You had to have ordered this weeks in advance…" Boyd whispered. He looked up at Fred with a meaningful expression.

"I knew you'd pass the test, Boyd. I knew you'd become a police officer. I never had any doubts. None of us ever had any doubts." Fred said. Boyd was speechless for the longest time.

"Thank you, Fred." Boyd said softly at last. Fred smiled at Boyd. Their eyes met and Boyd couldn't help but smile too. After a long moment, they both looked away, blushing.

For a while, they sat in silence, listening to the crackle of the fireplace.

Boyd turned the gold watch over in his hands, examining its fine craftsmanship.

It touched Boyd to his soul knowing that his friends thought so highly in him. They had more confidence in him than he had in himself. Boyd didn't know what he did to deserve such friends, but he thanked his lucky stars that they were there.

Gloria; highly opinionated and a bit ignorant and big headed; but she could surprise you with her advice at times. Her words sometimes seemed to hold a deeper, hidden message that Boyd wasn't certain even she was aware of.

Edgar; calm, quiet, observant, and fiercely loyal; he seemed to know just what to say at just the right time.

Sheegor; Boyd missed her presence. She was sweet, motherly, and wise. Her innocence and cheerfulness could brighten any day.

Then, there was Fred.

Boyd couldn't imagine where he'd be without Fred. There were countless different words Boyd could think of to describe him; but not a single one good enough to do him justice.

After the escape from Thorny Towers, Sheegor found a home back at Whispering Rock working as Sasha's lab assistant. Gloria had a choice of one of her several mansions. Fred had the Bonaparte Estate that had been left to him after the deaths of his parents. Edgar and Boyd didn't really have a place to go.

When Fred heard about it, he insisted on taking Boyd and Edgar in without a moments hesitation.

With Edgar being an artist in France, his career took off like a bullet. He had a place of his own in less than six months.

Boyd, having considerably less talent, took a job as a postal worker. After a year and a half, he finally earned enough money to get an apartment.

Fred had told him that he was welcome to stay as long as he wished. There was plenty of room and he enjoyed Boyd's company.

Fred had a beautiful, spacious home and was very enjoyable to be around. Boyd loved living with Fred, but living with Fred made Boyd very depressed.

He felt like he couldn't take care of himself. Boyd knew that Fred honestly never saw Boyd as a burden, but Boyd saw himself as one.

Sheegor was earning her keep at Whispering Rock. When she wasn't helping Sasha in the lab, she was looking after the children. She even took some night classes as the Shaky Claim Community College and became a certified nurse; which was a real asset to Whispering Rock.

Gloria and Fred, and, as soon as he could, Edgar were using their fame and fortune to fund hospitals and schools and charities. Fred was curing people of their insecurities and was one of the foremost powers in Sasha's rebellion.

Boyd wasn't doing anything important. He wasn't helping sick and injured children or helping to revolutionize the way that people think about the human mind. He wasn't acting as a role model to millions of people or creating a beautiful work of art. He wasn't saving people from themselves. Even in the rebellion, he didn't really do anything.

He just delivered the mail.

He felt so inferior. It just ate away at him. He was living off of Fred's hospitality. Getting his own place helped, but Boyd was still depressed.

Then, Razputin died.

The childs' death coveted the entire world in anguish. Such a promising, bright, exuberant young star; extinguished before its time.

Raz's death really hit Fred hard. He was constantly fussing over Boyd, making sure that Boyd's grief didn't cause him to neglect his health when Fred was the one neglecting HIS health. Fred had literally gotten sick from grief and Boyd ended up basically moving back in with him to take care of him for about a month.

It was just after Raz's death that Lerio really started coming into play. He was a young man with big ideas for the agency and was planning to run for Grand Head. When Raz died, he immediately put the blame on Truman Zanotto for allowing a child into the ranks in the first place.

He accused Sasha of being a dog who would do anything to please his master and called Milla weak for not opposing Raz's induction into the Psychonauts. He caused people to be suspicious of Milla and Sasha by pointing out Morry's past offence and the fact that they listened to an old kook like Ford Cruller.

That bastard even called Raz's father a glory hound who didn't really care for his child. He tried to press charges on them all for killing Raz!

It was not only a huge blow to the emotions of Truman, Ford, Morry, Sasha, Milla, and Raz's father; but an enormous blow to their careers as well.

Raz's father was attacked several times by Lerio's angry followers. Milla was nearly raped (thank god Sasha found her in time); there were several assassination attempts uncovered against Truman, Morry's car was vandalized, and a particularly nasty group of Lerio's supporters managed to corner Sasha and beat him to the brink of consciousness.

They were all so deeply depressed. They seemed so distant. They didn't fight back. That was why Sasha had gotten beaten up. He didn't fight back. Lerio had defeated him.

Fred had stood up for them. He had become pretty famous pretty fast helping the Psychonauts with their toughest mental patients and being close friends with the now late Agent Aquato; not to mention his rather interesting back story.

Fred's support got three of his windows shattered, a heap of threatening letters, his garden set on fire, and nearly got him hit by a car.

It was then that Boyd made his decision.

He may not have money or fame or brains or talent like his friends did; but Boyd had a strong sense of justice.

Boyd never told anyone about his real reason behind wanting to get back into law enforcement.

He did it because he wanted to make a difference like his friends were. He wanted to touch lives.

He wanted to protect his friends so that they could keep up their work.

"Boyd?" Fred inquired softly. Boyd's attention promptly snapped to Fred.

"You're brooding could give Sasha a run for his money." Fred teased gently. "What's on your mind?"

Boyd smiled slightly. Fred knew him too well.

"It's just…it scares the hell out of me that you were alone with Lerio today…" Boyd said. Fred raised an eyebrow at Boyd.

"Anything could have happened to you. Lerio is one sly, sneaky, powerful bastard. He could have easily hurt you or threatened you…" Boyd trailed off and went pale. He turned to face Fred quickly, taking Fred's hands in his own with a fearful expression.

"H-he didn't do anything like that to you, did he? Did he threaten you or get rough with you?" Boyd asked worriedly. Fred chuckled.

"No, Boyd. Lerio didn't manhandle me or threaten me." Fred said.

"You'd tell me if he did, right? Because you know, I would never let him hurt you…" Boyd said. He promptly shut his mouth and stared into Fred's eyes, blushing. Fred looked a little surprised and was blushing as well. After an awkward moment, they both looked away.

"Of course I'd tell you, Boyd. He doesn't scare me." Fred murmured.

"Liar." Boyd snorted with a smirk.

"What? I'm not!" Fred said. He sighed. "Okay, so he creeps me out a little."

"Who doesn't he creep out?" Boyd chuckled.

TEHGREATDIVIDER

Maloof was sobbing softly into his hands.

"Maloof…it does not matter to me that you are not a virgin. I love you." Mikhail said.

"I was their whore, Mikhail! You don't know what kind of diseases I might have!" Maloof sobbed. "You don't know how many horrible things I've done! You don't know how many innocent people I've hurt and killed! How many lives I've ruined! How many crimes I've commited!"

He looked up at Mikhail, his expression angry.

"How can you be like this?! How can you just want to take me back after everything I did to you!?" Maloof snapped. Mikhail caressed his cheek.

"The same way you still want me after all I've done to you." Mikhail whispered. He started stroking Maloof's cheek, gently wiping the smaller psychic's tears away.

"Besides…you didn't want to do all those things to me. You did them to protect me." Mikhail said. He smiled slightly. "Why won't you just admit that you want to be with me just as much as I want to be with you?"

"I'm not denying that, Mikhail." Maloof said softly. He reached up and caressed Mikhail's cheek.

"I just don't want to hurt you any more." Maloof said.

"Rejecting me is the biggest pain you could ever inflict upon me." Mikhail said. Maloof winced and looked away.

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" Maloof whispered.

"Because neither of us wants me to leave you alone." Mikhail said. "You're not going to hurt me, Maloof."

"Mikhail, I'm a sick, twisted, disease ridden piece of filth!" Maloof said. He turned away from Mikhail. "A-and…I'm addicted to morphine."

Mikhail froze.

"I will hurt you, Mikhail. All drug addicts end up hurting the people they care about." Maloof said.

He and Mikhail both jumped when they heard a loud, irritated growl from the next room. They heard the rustling of sheets and heavy footsteps coming into the room.

Benny stumbled into the room, his arm bleeding slightly from where he had ripped out his IV in rage. He stormed up to Maloof, never breaking eye contact. He seized Maloof's collar.

"Now you listen here: I already owe you a beating for lying to me about the drugs. Ever since I found you two years ago, I ain't done nothin' but try to help you." Benny hissed.

"Don't give me this bullshit about 'I can't be with you, Mikhail!'. Ever since I found out that he was trying to kill you, I've frankly though of Mikhail as a total bastard; but I know that you love him; so I gave him one of my fucking kidneys so that he'd live and you two could be happy!" Benny growled.

"So you are going to quit your bitching and just be happy with him if I have to beat it into your curly head, god damn it!" Benny roared.

Maloof stared at him wide eyed, his mouth open slightly. Benny gave him a stiff shake.

"And don't you try to argue with me, because if you do, injured or not, so help me god, I will punch your fucking lights out!" Benny bellowed. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!?!?!"

With tears streaming down his cheeks, Maloof gave a weak nod. Seconds later, he threw his arms around Benny's neck. Benny froze in shock.

The one thing he'd dreamed of for two years came true when he felt an impossibly soft moist warmth against his lips; only he'd dreamed of kissing Maloof; not Maloof kissing him.

Maloof drew back slowly, smiling like he used to.

"Thank you, Benny." He said softly.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Sorry it was short! I've been uber busy lately!

I've got 3 new pictures on my deviantart gallery if anyone wants to check them out.

One gawts chibi Maloof drawing a picture while chibi D'art watches and Chibi Mikhail wrestles a bear in the background, one of them is a picture of Raz in the forest on a foggy night lighting his path with his levitation ball, and the last one is a poorly colored but fairly funny picture of Sasha hauling Milla up into a helicopter by her belt with Raz slung over his shoulder while Sasha screams "GET IN TEH CHOPPAH!" and Milla and Raz have these totally "WTF!?!?!OMGTATERTOTS!ONE1#$I!?!?" expressions on their faces.

If you wanna check it out, my deviantart username is deserthaze.

That is all!

Oh wait…PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!

THAT is all XD!


	12. The Tip of the Iceberg

Hey everybody! I posted a new picture on It's a cute little EltonxVernon(the grown up versions from this fic) hug-fluff moment. If you wanna see it, my username on Deviantart is deserthaze.

To Fireflyoflight: Really? Wow! I'm really flattered! I'm so glad you like it!

To Zikka-chan: lol! It's gonna start getting better with Fred and Boyd in the next couple of chapters!

To Black Dawn: Yes, I did read the rest of your dream lol! Weird! Psshhh! I've got a younger brother that used to be in scouts too. I feel your pain - -…GASP! shhhh! Do not speak of Fred and explosions yet! You might spoil the next chapter RETURN OF THE FORSHADOWING OF DOOOOOOMMMM!….MWA HAHAHAHAAAAAA!

To Lyn: Yay! I'm glad you got the review problem figured out! Thanks! I'm so excited about my trip! XD!

To Digitaldreamer: Don't worry. I can be taught! We're pretty much moving away from Mikhail, Maloof, and Benny in this chapter, so say buhbye, mkay? XD!

To Black Rain: WHEW! as the daughter of Coast Guard Lt, I feel your pain! Moving is the pits…glad to see you again though! Thanks for the review!

To EmptyHeart: YES! CURE ID! ….I haven't gotten around to that due to a major outbreak of my new favorite disease that I totally just made up…uberprocrastinationshitloadastuffIhavetodoitus! XD!

…did I get everybody? Okay, I think so…ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

Chapter 12

Benny blushed deeply, hypnotized by Maloof's beautiful eyes; which were finally, after several long years, once again glittering with every star in the heavens.

Maloof stared back at Benny, unsure of why he was being stared at. Then, Maloof blushed as he caught on. He chuckled sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry about that, Benny…I didn't mean to gross you out…" Maloof chuckled. His expression saddened slightly.

"I guess the habitual sexual undertone thing is another thing I'm gonna have to work to get rid of…" Maloof said slightly softer, rubbing his arm self-consciously. He sighed and tugged at his hair irritated. He was obviously mentally kicking himself, judging by his expression.

"God, I must come off like a total slut…well…I guess that ain't too surprising' seein' as I am…" Benny grabbed Maloof's wrist to silence him.

"Don't say that." Benny scolded firmly. His expression, grip, and tone softened as he brushed a stray curl out of Maloof's eyes. "Don't you ever say that."

Maloof looked away shamefully. Benny gently lifted Maloof's chin, forcing Maloof to look at him.

"Look at me…" Benny said, getting eye contact with Maloof before continuing.

"You. are not. A slut." Benny said clearly, but softly. "How many times am I going to have to remind you that it was against your will?"

Maloof again tried to cast his gaze elsewhere, but Benny wouldn't let him.

"I mean it, Maloof." Benny said a bit louder. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Quit beating yourself up. Beating you up is my job and you're puttin' me out of business here."

Maloof cracked a small smile. He felt Mikhail snake his arms around him.

"Everything will work out." Mikhail said reassuringly. Benny rested his hands on Maloof's knee with a reassuring smile.

"Mikhail's right. We're all gonna work through this. We're gonna get through it together." Benny said. "I promise."

Maloof sighed. Relief shone in his eyes. He stopped himself before he hugged Benny, only to find Benny hugging him.

"Please, Maloof. Don't go getting all modest and bashful around me now. It's just a hug. We do it all the time." Benny chuckled. Maloof blushed, slightly embarrassed before allowing himself to relax against Benny's chest. He close his eyes and sighed.

"Thank you, Benny…for everything." Maloof said softly. After a long moment, he looked up at Mikhail, who just smiled gently and snaked his arm around Maloof's waist.

THEGREATDIVIDER!

She entered the room quietly. The only source of light came from the many flickering computer screens all around the room; and they provided plenty of light.

She stood silently behind the chair as its occupant studied the screens carefully. He paused.

"How are they, Lili?" he asked, turning to face her.

"They're all in stable condition now." Lili said.

"What about things down here, Dogen? Any luck tracking Jt?" Lili asked. Dogen sighed.

"Not really, no." He said. He turned back to the screens. "For a genius mastermind, Sasha sure was messy. I can't trace anything through the jumbled mess of random facts I know about the inner workings of his ring of contacts."

"You'd think that with something this important, he'd be a little neater." Lili mused. "There's nothing we can do about it. We're just going to have to do our best to untangle the mess Sasha left us."

"So did you find anything at all?" Lili asked.

"Well, not exactly…but I am finding a repeating factor in some of the relocation files that I've been able to salvage from some of our contacts within the rebellion." Dogen said.

"What is it?" Lili asked.

"I've found several cases in which references are made to what I believe is an alias referring to a group of people…the name is in a dialect of Chinese or mandarin that is particular to Tibet. Translated to English, it says "The Blue Angels who Roam the Mountains"." Dogen explained.

"What does that mean for us?" Lili asked.

"Well, my theory is that these "blue angels" may be largely responsible for the task of putting people into hiding within the rebellion." Dogen explained.

"Then they are people that we need to get in touch with. They could be a big help." Lili said.

"My thoughts exactly." Dogen said.

"So, you think these blue angels might be in Tibet?" Lili asked. Dogen nodded.

"Most likely, yes." Dogen said. Lili sighed and sunk down on the arm of Dogen's chair. The two silently studied the screnes for a few minutes.

"Well…Nils is going to be sticking around to help me keep Mikhail from killing Maloof at least long enough so that he will have the chance to hear Maloof out." Dogen said. "Benny will be staying here with me for a while too to keep Maloof company; and I'll be teaching Benny about the rebellion and finding him an area to work in."

"Before we lay the stress of the rebellion on them, we need to focus on getting them well again. Physically and mentally." Dogen said. "More than likely, we'll have Phoebe come in to give them counseling."

Lili nodded.

"They're messed up pretty bad." Lili said.

"Once they're ready, we'll talk to them about the rebellion." Dogen said. "Until then, they're safe here."

Lili nodded again.

"What's your next move going to be?" Dogen asked.

"We gotta get Raz out of here. Maloof and Mikhail aren't ready to see him yet." Lili said. Dogen nodded sadly.

"Where will you go?" Dogen asked. Lili shrugged.

"Nils is going to let us crash at his place since it's not far. He's letting us stay there until Raz gets better. After that…well…what would you suggest, Dogen?" Lili asked. Dogen leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Elka, Nils, Maloof, Benny, and Mikhail are secured so far…Elka has taken on the assignment of trying to assess the possibility of restoring Elton…" Dogen mused.

"Clem is my best friend. If it's okay with you guys, I'd like to be the one to go after him." Nils said as he entered the room.

"Sure. Knock yourself out, Blondie." Lili said. "Less work for me and Raz."

"So…what will you and Raz do?" Dogen asked. Lili thought for a long moment.

"Milka is too deep in the agency for he and I to go after…we can't approach Chloe yet without the risk of Bobby getting suspicious 'cause Bobby is waaay too close to Lerio…Fred is handling Franke and Vernon…Kitty is too deep in the agency for us to handle…Franke would be best suited to handle her…that leaves us with either finding these guys in Tibet or finding Chops..." Lili said. She pondered quietly for a long moment.

"I'll have to talk to Raz about it and see what he thinks." Lili said. Just then, Elka came running in, out of breath.

"Maloof and Mikhail are awake!" She panted. Everyone jumped up, prepared to go intervene; but Elka held up her hands.

"It's okay. They're fine. They aren't trying to kill each other anymore!" Elka said. They all raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mikhail knows Maloof's side of the story. Back in the alleyway they weren't strangling each other, they were hugging! They're back together!" Elka said happily. Everyone let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"If they're both awake, that ups the risk level quite a bit. We should probably move you and Raz to my place tonight, Lili." Nils said. Lili nodded.

"Our stuff is already together. I just want to talk to Mikhail and Maloof before we leave." Lili said softly. Nils nodded understandingly.

"I'll get Raz into my car. We'll meet you out front." Nils said. Lili nodded and headed off to Mikhail and Maloof's room.

She couldn't help but smile when she found Maloof, Mikhail, and Benny all lying on the same bed, fast asleep. Maloof was lying on his side, facing Benny with his head resting against Benny's uninjured shoulder. Benny had his good hand resting on Maloof's shoulder. Mikhail was lying on the other side of Maloof, facing Maloof with one arm draped around Maloof's waist.

She heard them stir as the door creaked shut behind her. Benny was the first to wake fully. His movements woke Maloof, and Maloof's movements in turn woke Mikhail.

"Lili? Lili freakin' Zanotto?" Maloof asked incredulously.

"Heya, half-pint." Lili said smugly.

"Oh, muthafuck…" Maloof groaned. "We've been screwed over!"

Mikhail had become very tense and alert. His hold around Maloof's waist became uncertain and protective. Dread and fear freely flooded his features.

"Cool it, Bulgakov. I'm not with the 'Nauts anymore, remember?" Lili said. "You two aren't going to be arrested. Not while you're among friends."

"No one here is going to hurt you." Lili said softly.

"Why'd you track us down if you weren't gonna arrest us?" Maloof asked. Lili's heart dropped. Her gaze drifted to the floor. There was a long silence.

"For two years you guys have been alone…you suffered alone and you fought alone…no one was there to help you. Friends are supposed to help each other…" Lili said softly. She felt tears pricking at her eyes. She struggled to keep her composure.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. Mikhail and Maloof raised an eyebrow at her.

"I never believed you were a traitor, Maloof. I was just so caught up in all the stuff happening between my dad and Lerio…and I gave up on fighting for you too easily. I thought you'd be too hard to find and that it'd make me, and thus, my dad, look bad if I went after you." Lili said. She wiped a tear from her eye. "I wanted to help Mikhail find you, but…I was lazy and stupid and selfish…there's no excuse…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…a real friend would have…but I didn't…I'm sorry…"

Maloof stared at her. Lili took a moment to compose herself before directing her gaze to Mikhail.

"After Raz died, you were there for me. You filled that empty spot. We didn't date for very long…I was too convinced that Raz was still alive and we agreed that we were too close to be dating…it was like dating a sibling…but even after we broke up, nothing changed between us. We were still best friends…" Lili said. She sniffled softly.

"I let you down. I'm sorry, Mikhail. If I hadn't been so selfish…if I had tried harder to help you…things could have turned out differently. Maybe none of you would have gotten hurt so badly." Lili said, a tear falling from her eyes.

"Benny…I'm such a bitch for just totally ignoring you after you decided not to become a Psychonaut. Just because I didn't see you during my normal schedule…just because I'd have to go out of my way to see you…" Lili began, self hatred shining in her eyes. After a moment, she calmed down a little. A watery smile came to her face.

"You're really talented at what you do, Benny…I mean that." She chuckled. "I've seen some of your performances that Bobby recorded and brought back."

Benny blushed. Lili's expression saddened again.

"I wish now that I had cared more. I wish that I had gone to see some of your plays myself in person. Instead, I just blew you off." Lili said. "If I had taken more interest in keeping our friendship…maybe…maybe you would have felt like you could have come to me for help when you discovered what was happening with Maloof. You wouldn't have had to deal with it all on your own. I'm sorry."

There was a long silence as Lili tried to get her tears under control. Benny smiled gently and struggled to his feet to put an arm around Lili. Mikhail and Maloof looked to one another in confusion.

"Okay…who the hell is this broad and why is she trying, and failing miserably, to impersonate Lili Zanotto?" Maloof asked, motioning to Lili.

That did it.

Lili abruptly stopped crying and stared at Maloof. Maloof froze, uncertain of what she was going to do.

Lili stomped across the room and socked Maloof in the cheek. Maloof yelped loudly and Lili seized him by the collar.

"I WAS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND APPOLOGIZE TO YOU, YOU STUPID MIDGIT! IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT, HUH, TINY?" Lili roared.

"GAH! NO! I'M SORRY! OKAY! OKAY! I TAKE IT BACK! I BELIEVE YOU'RE LILI ZANOTTO!" Maloof cried. Mikhail was laughing.

"You've made a believer out of me! You're Lili Zanotto alright!" He laughed. Lili glared at him menacingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lili asked darkly. Mikhail paled and held up his hands in surrender.

"Nothing! Nothing!" He said hastily. Benny gently pried Lili's hands off of Maloof's collar.

"Easy, Lili…you're taking my job…I was supposed to have first dibs on the runt." Benny chuckled. An awkward silence followed. Benny put his hand on Lili's shoulder.

"Apology accepted, by the way." Benny said warmly.

"I say keep your apology, Lili. Mikhail and I don't need it." Maloof said seriously. Lili's heart sunk yet again.

"What's done is done. We don't want you beating yourself up over what could have been." Maloof said. "It's a hard concept…trust me…I would know...but you gotta learn to let the past go. It's time to move on."

Lili smiled slightly at Maloof.

"But there's one thing I don't get…" Maloof continued. "What made you decide to come after us now? Mikhail's a deserter and I'm on the 'most wanted' list. We've been beyond redemption for well over a year. You know you won't be changing any minds."

"I don't have to. The world thinks you both died in that shootout. We modified a few memories in your favor and got you out of there. By the time you two are back on your feet, you'll be yesterday's news. No one will be looking for you. You can start things over and finally be free to have the life you want." Lili said. Mikhail and Maloof looked to each other in astonishment.

"Who is the 'we' you speak of?" Mikhail asked.

"You have Elka to thank for our finding you. She had a vision of you two being killed in that alleyway. She is the one who patched you up as well; and Dogen opened his home to the two of you until you're back on your feet and Nils has been helping however he can." Lili said.

"You haven't answered my question yet, Lili…why the sudden interest in helping me and Misha at the personal risk of getting caught assisting known criminals?" Maloof asked. His eyes seemed to sense that she was hiding something from him.

"Tiny boss…she just said that she feared for our lives." Mikhail tried to reason.

"Yeah? Well, our lives have been in danger for a while now." Maloof said. "I'm sure she was aware of that."

"Maloof!" Mikhail hissed, shocked by his lovers' sudden coldness.

"No, he's right, Mikhail. I was. I just gave up too easily and convinced myself that you two were too far gone because it would be easier for me if you were." Lili said. "When Elka had her vision…I've just lost too many friends. I couldn't live with myself if I had let you two slip away knowing that I could have done something. Not again."

Maloof studied her carefully for a long moment.

"Okay. I'm sorry for being so offensive, Lili. Between my Psychonauts training and my life of crime…well…I can't help but be a little skeptical." Maloof said. Lili smiled slightly.

"It works for you, small fry. You know me. I'm a big fan of skepticism." Lili said. Maloof smiled back at her.

"You're okay, Zanotto." Maloof remarked.

"Yeah, well you're not so bad yourself, short stuff." Lili said. "I guess the whole 'puberty' thing didn't really work out for you, huh?"

"Oh, ha ha, very funny, Zanotto." Maloof said. "If Mikhail and I weren't so scared of you, I'd have him teach you a thing or two."

Lili laughed.

THEGREATDIVIDER!

"Good morning, dearie." Gloria said cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.

"Morning, Gloria." Fred said as he flipped pancakes. Gloria giggled and propped herself against a nearby counter.

"You cook, you clean, you've got money, you've got brains, you're sweet, and handsome to boot!" Gloria said. "How you have managed to stay out of show business…even more so how you've managed to stay single is a wonder!"

Fred chuckled.

"I mean it! Darling, you could easily snag a lead roll if you went for it. Psychiatrists make great actors!" Gloria said. "Men with your looks sell like hotcakes in Hollywood. Men with your looks and charm get snatched up in the blink of an eye…if some lucky lady hasn't snatched you up already, hmm?"

Fred laughed.

"Nope. Still happily single." Fred said.

"I know some beautiful, successful, accomplished girls who would love a guy like you…" Gloria said.

"Give it up, Gloria. Supermodels and actresses aren't Fred's type; and you're not going to get him into show business." Boyd chuckled as he entered the room. "He's too modest and too bashful."

Fred blushed and Boyd laughed.

"See what I mean?" Boyd said, elbowing Fred playfully. Fred took the pancakes out of the skillet and turned to Boyd. Fred let out a long whistle.

"I might not be cut out for show biz…but you could probably get Boyd a kick-ass role as hardcore lawman…he makes that uniform look gooood…" Fred remarked. Boyd laughed and started striking ridiculous poses.

"Hell yeah. Eat your heart out, Tom Cruise!" Boyd said. Gloria and Fred laughed.

"Do whatever you want on the big screen, but I'd better not catch you doing anything that'll land you a segment in an episode of Cops. The only special effects in that show are the flashing red and blue lights." Fred said.

"Aw, I didn't know you cared!" Boyd said, batting his eyelashes. Fred rolled his eyes, pushed Boyd into a chair, and set a plate down in front of him.

"Shut up and eat your pancakes, Dudly Do-right." Fred said. Edgar laughed as he walked in.

"Such loving friends." Edgar joked.

"Ah, just the man I wanted to see!" Fred said, setting down plates for himself, Gloria, and Edgar.

"Oh? And why is that?" Edgar asked, taking a seat.

"I have a very talented young woman under my care right now. Her name is Yolanda, and she is a wonderful painter; not to mention a big fan of yours." Fred said.

"Well then, perhaps I should pay her a visit." Edgar said.

"I think she'd enjoy that very much." Fred said.

"When would you like me down there?" Edgar asked.

"Whenever you'd like to drop by. I daresay, Gloria has a little fan club of her very own down at the institution." Fred said.

"Shall I meet them in the music room as usual, then?" Gloria asked.

"They'll be awaiting your arrival with baited breath." Fred said.

THEGREATDIVIDER!

"Listen, you guys…I'm really glad I was able to have this talk with you…but I have to go now." Lili said.

"When will you be back?" Maloof asked.

"You probably won't be seeing me again for a while…" Lili said. She looked Maloof in the eyes. "But listen…"

"Elka and Phoebe are going to take good care of you. They're going to set you right again and get you back on your feet. I know we've failed you…but your friends are here for you now and we're going to do everything we can to try to set things right." Lili said. Maloof stared at Lili with a curious shimmer in his eyes.

"Lili? What's happening?" Maloof asked quietly.

"Nothing that you guys need to worry about right now. Just focus on yourselves for a while and get better." Lili said. Maloof nodded understandingly.

"Well…good luck." Maloof said.

"You too. Bye, guys. Get well soon." Lili said before heading out the door.

When she got to Nils' little red Camry, Raz was lying asleep across the back seat.

"Didn't even stir." Nils said. "He's sure a hell of a lot heavier than he was the last time I saw him."

"Wuss." Lili snorted as she climbed into the passenger seat.

THEGREATDIVIDER!!

"Well, Yolanda…if you and Edgar are comfortable here, I will be going to see how Gerald is doing today." Fred said.

"Oh, everything's fine here, Dr. Bonaparte! Go right ahead!" Yolanda said, her voice airy with excitement as she sat across from one of her favorite artists. Fred chuckled and bid them goodbye.

THEGREATDIVIDER!!

Boyd's jaw nearly dropped to the floor when he entered the police station. Who should be at the front desk, but Lerio; the Grand Head of the Psychonauts himself.

He was speaking with the officer behind the front desk until Boyd walked in.

"Ah, you must be Boyd Cooper, the new officer on the force!" Lerio said briskly, offering his hand to Boyd. "Congratulations!"

Boyd shook Lerio's hand, doing his best to contain his distaste.

"Thank you, sir."

"Your boyfriend Professor Doctor Bonaparte spoke very highly of you." Lerio said. Boyd blushed.

"I beg your pardon, sir…but Dr. Bonaparte and I are just friends. We're not dating." Boyd said.

"Oh? My mistake. I just assumed from the way in which he spoke of you that you were together." Lerio said. "He is a good man, that Dr. Bonaparte. So young to be so highly accomplished."

"He's been a talented guy for as long as I've know him." Boyd said.

"It must be terribly difficult for you, however…" Lerio said. Boyd raised an eyebrow at the man.

"How so, sir?" Boyd asked hesitantly.

"Dr. Bonaparte is, as I said, quite young and his job can be quite dangerous." Lerio said. "The mentally unstable are nigh impossible to predict at times; and when agitated, can become quite violent; and, let's face it, Dr. Bonaparte isn't exactly the reigning heavyweight champion. He may be tall, but he is still quite scrawny, I'm afraid."

"If I were you, I don't believe I would ever be able to stop worrying about him." Lerio said.

"It's true. The dangers of his job do tend to cause me to worry about him; but Fred can take care of himself." Boyd said.

"That may be so…but I've seen former officers turned orderlies taken by surprise and overpowered by a charge in a blind rage. People have been badly injured and even killed by the mentally unbalanced." Lerio said.

"I myself worry about the young doctor…he has far too much trust in his charges, in my opinion. I would hate to see one of them turn on him. Even if he wasn't hurt, it would tear him apart!" Lerio said compassionately.

"I do wish he would take me up on my offer; for his own safety. Our facilities are so much safer and more state of the art. He'd be able to work with people as gifted as he himself is and he could do so much good with the agency." Lerio said. Boyd shrugged.

"Fred likes his simple life. He's the kind of guy who starts an organization; a leader…not a follower. He has his own way of doing things that obviously works well for him and everyone involved. Fred prefers his independence. It's just the way he is." Boyd shrugged, trying not to let show the pleasure he got out of knowingly irritating Lerio.

Lerio tried not to let his irritation show. He had hoped that the buffoon would fall prey to his words. He'd hoped that his words would unnerve him and eat away at him until he crawled back to that tall, insufferable, stubborn, irritating Boy Scout Bonaparte and begged him to take him up on his offer for the sake of his own peace of mind.

Lerio was certain: Bonaparte was just the sort of sentimental fool who would listen to a close friend and sacrifice anything to put him at peace.

It appeared that Officer Cooper would need more incentive for concern if Lerio's plan was to work.

"Perfectly understandable, yes." Lerio said. He sighed softly.

"I do desperately hope that all that you say is true, Officer Cooper. I really would hate to see such a fine, talented young man suffer that kind of hurt." Lerio said, accepting a stack of files from the officer at the front desk.

"Good day to you, Officer Cooper." Lerio said.

Once he had gotten to his car, Lerio tossed the files violently into the back seat.

"Officer Cooper…before this day is through, you WILL be behaving according to my plan…" Lerio muttered darkly before starting up his car.

THEGREATDIVIDER!!

Lili smoothed back Raz's hair gently. He hadn't so much as stirred during the trip to Nils' house.

"Well, you guys will basically have the place to yourselves since I usually stay at my quarters up at the station." Nils said, glancing down at his watch.

"I had better get going…I'm going to try to track down Phoebe and Quentin while I'm on my shift since they don't know what's happened with the lot of us yet; so you should probably expect one or both of them to pay you a visit either tonight or tomorrow morning. So, you guys can just make yourselves at home." Nils said.

"Much appreciated, Nils." Lili said.

With that, Nils said goodbye and headed out the door. Once he got behind the wheel of his car, he let out a long sigh and leaned back in his seat.

"Damn…this is turning out to be one hell of a week…" He chuckled to himself.

THEGREATDIVIDER!

"…Morceau?" called a hesitant, shaky voice.

"Morceau! Morceau! Come quickly!" The voice cried, terror seeping into the tone.

Morry quickly slipped his duffle bag under his bed and ran into the living room to see what had the Mental Minx so upset…

…well…beside the obvious reasons she already had for being upset, that is.

"What is it, Milla?" Morry asked gruffly. The woman was standing in front of the TV, looking suddenly pale and with an expression of horror and disbelief plastered on her already gaunt face.

"…police apprehended 7 men, who confirmed that the incident was indeed the result of the power struggle between Italian mob boss Ruliano and Russian mob boss Derelou. The bodies of Psychonauts deserters Mikhail Bulgakov and Maloof Canola, who were reportedly killed in the gunfight, have not yet been found. It is believed that the bodies may have been disposed of by the members of the mafia that remain at large." Said the news reporter.

Morry's heart plummeted in his chest.

"Oh, no…" Morry whispered. Milla plopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands.

"Maloof…he used to be so sweet…and Mikhail…he was so kind…" Milla whispered.

"They were another pair of good kids who made bad choices." Morry said softly.

"Razputin, Elton, Jt, Sasha…Vernon might as well be dead for all the hurt he's been through…and now Mikhail and Maloof…" Milla whispered. Morry climbed up onto the couch and put his arm around her.

"How many of the people I love will I be forced to burry before I can finally just die and be at peace!?" Milla cried. A pang of pain ripped through Morry's body.

"Please, don't talk like that, Milla...you did all you could for Raz...Jt might still be alive, and Elton isn't dead and neither is Vernon…and we haven't lost Sasha yet either." Morry said.

"Oh, stop it, Morceau!" Milla snapped. "You saw the state he was in, Morry! He's wasting away in there! He probably won't live to receive his death sentence!"

A sob wracked Milla's body. Morry hugged her tightly.

"I know things look really bad, Milla; but we can't give up hope while Sasha's still alive. He's not gone yet. There's still time for a miracle to happen." Morry said softly.

Ford blinked back tears and slipped out the door unnoticed. He just couldn't bare seeing Milla suffer like that.

"Sasha, you stupid bastard!" Ford seethed to himself. "How could you do this to her?"

He sighed as he made his way down to the lake. He arrived just in time to see Sheegor climb out of the Whispering Rocket Underground Rapid Transit System.

"Sheegor…" Ford called. Sheegor jumped, startled by Ford's voice.

"Oh, Mr. Cruller. I didn't see you there…" Sheegor said, blushing deeply. Ford smiled and took one of her hands.

"Please, Sheegor; I do wish you'd stop being so formal and just call me Ford like everyone else." Ford said. Sheegor blushed and giggled.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting!" She said sheepishly. Ford scanned the area for any signs of life before turning back to Sheegor.

"How is the boy doing?" Ford asked her just above a whisper.

"He's still very weak." Sheegor said softly. "He needs someone to be there with him…I know he appreciates Mr. Pokeylope and Linda being there with him…but he needs more human company than just having me in to check on him and change his bandages 30 minutes a day."

"I know…I feel terrible at having to keep him over at Thorny Towers by himself…but we can't risk Milla or Morry finding him." Ford said softly.

"He's just so lonely…" Sheegor sighed sadly.

"I know he must miss his partner terribly…" Ford said softly.

"That's just it, Ford…I don't think that Melvin was merely his partner…" Sheegor said.

"Of course not. They have been best friends since their childhood days here at Whispering Rock." Ford said. Sheegor shook her head.

"I think it goes even deeper than that, Ford." Sheegor said. Ford's eyes widened.

"Well…I daresay that that would explain a few…quirks…of his." Ford said. Sheegor placed her hands on Ford's arm.

"If he is like this…just think of how Melvin may be suffering." Sheegor said. "I'm doing all I can for him…he hates himself for failing Sasha and betraying Melvin…he just doesn't seem to have the will to go on, Ford…I'm scared."

Ford wrapped an arm around her as the two gazed across the lake.

"He says that he has to stay away from Melvin…but he needs him, Ford." Sheegor said. Ford nodded.

"I understand." He said softly. "Just give me a little more time and I'll see what I can do."

"I would love to be able to reunite them; you know that; but it's a very delicate and dangerous goal." Ford said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make it happen."

"Thank you, Ford. I think that having Melvin here will be the best medicine for him." Sheegor said.

"It will likely be best for Melvin too…at least Lerio wouldn't be able to pull him into Operation Black Fantasia." Ford said darkly.

"Did Sasha know about Operation Black Fantasia?" Sheegor asked.

"I don't know; but I'm almost certain that Lerio used him in an early test of it…and now he's free to continue to use Sasha as a test subject. That's what's causing the rapid deterioration in his condition; and it would appear as though Lerio has taken an interest in using Clem Foote in the project as well." Ford said.

"Quentin has been sniffing about. I fear that he may be working to carry on Sasha's work; and I'm fairly certain that he is aware of Fred's importance to Lerio." Ford said. Sheegor gasped.

"Do you think they know about the project?" Sheegor asked. Ford shook his head.

"No…I don't think they do. If they knew how important they themselves were to the project, Quentin would have taken his wife and he and Fred would have all gone into hiding by now. I don't think they realize the danger that they're in." Ford said. Sheegor unconsciously squeezed Ford's arm.

"Lerio needs Fred for the project…Fred's not cooperating." Sheegor said softly. Ford placed his hand on top of hers.

"Don't worry. I'm working on getting Fred some protection…in the mean time, I'm sure Quentin has taken measures to keep Fred safe; even if Fred doesn't realize it." Ford said. "Quentin is a smart young man. If Lerio wants Fred, Quentin will see to it that Fred stays out of Lerio's reach…which brings young Vernon into the equation…"

"Vernon?" Sheegor asked.

"Lerio seems to have stumbled upon the Psychonauts Clandestine Twilight Force." Ford said.

"Oh my…" Sheegor whispered. Ford nodded.

"Vernon eluded Bobby Zilch a few days ago and there has been no word on his whereabouts since then. Vernon must know that he's been discovered, so he's gone into hiding. Either that, or he's killed himself." Ford said. Sheegor gasped. "He knows the horrors of Black Fantasia. Without him, the project would halt; or at least slow down considerably. He knows what could happen if Lerio were to get his hands on him."

Sheegor nodded slowly.

"Vernon was deeper into the agency than anyone knew. I doubt even Sasha knew about Vernon's involvement in the PCTF." Ford said.

"I thought Sasha used to be on the PCTF." Sheegor said.

"He couldn't handle it. It was too much for him. His experiences in the PCTF are what makes him so withdrawn. The things he experienced in the PCTF are what makes him wear his sunglasses." Ford said darkly. There was a long silence between them.

"W-what _about_ Sasha?" Sheegor asked.

"I'm furious with that bastard right now…I know it sounds horrible; but I've almost got the mind to let Lerio have him…but I want a shot at him myself, Milla still needs him, and being able to use him as a test subject is benefiting Lerio." Ford said darkly.

"You don't really want him dead, Ford." Sheegor said. Ford sighed.

"No. I don't; but I don't know if I can bring myself to forgive him either." Ford said. "He's lucky that Milla loves him so much and that I have a big soft spot for Milla."

"The experiments…will we be able to undo the damage?" Sheegor asked.

"I really don't know…I'm working as fast as I can…the sooner he's out of Lerio's clutches, the less Lerio can learn, and the more sanity Sasha will retain." Ford said.

"I hope Lerio hasn't been able to get Sasha to tell him anything important…" Sheegor said.

"It's hard to say…Sasha is very strong…but so is Lerio." Ford said.

"How do you plan to save Sasha?" Sheegor asked.

"Well...Mr. Aquato has been exchanging contact with The Bug-Eyed Bandit and Lynx…" Ford said.

"Do you think they'll help?" Sheegor asked.

"Yes. They seem very enthusiastic about the prospect." Ford said. "I just wonder if they can pull it off."

"I hope so." Sheegor said.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_

Maloof, Mikhail, and Benny are on the road to recovery while the rebellion is on the road to discovery. Who are the mysterious Blue Angels? Will Lili and Raz go after Chops next, or head to Tibet to look for the Blue Angels?

It sounds like Lerio is getting ready to do something nasty…will our favorite former inmates be able to weather the Grand Head's wrath?

Finally! Morry, Milla, Ford, and Sheegor make their grand entrance! Who is 'the boy' that Sheegor is secretly caring for? How was he involved with Sasha? Who is Melvin?

And just what exactly has _Ford _gotten involved in? It would seem that, whatever it is, Sasha has made things rather difficult for the former Grand Head.

What is Operation Black Fantasia and what roles do Fred and Quentin (unwittingly?) play in it? What part does Vernon play in it?

What is the Psychonauts Clandestine Twilight Force? How did Vernon get involved? What was so horrible about it that drove Sasha to forever wear those sunglasses of his?

Ford has been in contact with Raz's dad and he has been contacting the Bug-Eyed Bandit and Lynx!? What role will they play in Ford's plans?

I suppose we'll find out more in chapter 13; won't we?

Reviews fuel my writing mojo. FEED THE MOJO! IT IS HUNGRY! PLEASE REVIEW!

…also…reviews give Lerio's car bad gas mileage! REVIEW! FIGHT LERIO!


	13. The Red Man

Raz-chops-tibet-Dart-mr

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, guys! I've been a very busy little chipmunk! Unfortunately; even though I worked so hard; I had to call off my trip overseas this summer due to insufficient funds tear! at least I found out that I can go next year on the same trip; I'll just have to go with a delegation from another state; so, I'll just have to work hard this summer and raise the money to go next year sigh!

To the black sisters: I was wondering if there was a relation ) thanks for the reviews as always!

To Digitaldreamer: Me too XD! Vague pronouns are my frieeeendsss! XP! Update request processing…approved!

To DarkestBefourDawn: I'll forgive you this time lol! I know the feeling all too well…try pulling off top-of-the-class homework in a home school co-op. --… we do twice the work of public school students in half the time --…but I love my 2 day a week school XD!

To Lyn: XD! I always enjoy hearing from you ) hmm…I think during the course of the next few chapters, I might introduce Lynx and Bugeye…

To minous813: (blush!) Aw! Thanks! So glad you're enjoying it! thanks for the review!

To Epic Failure: Gotcha. Don't worry; the story is moving out of a pairing-centric zone and back into further progression in this chapter. Thanks for the feedback!

**Warnings:** this chapter contains some strong language and some racial/religious/ethnic controversy. Nothing too serious. Just keep in mind that this is just a story and is in no way meant to be an attack on anyone. Tis but an element of drama. I wuv my weaders and would never want to do anything hurtful to them (puppy eyes)

Chapter 13

Nils smiled as he spotted Clem in his favorite conference room with papers, documents, and files spread absolutely everywhere. His smile faded promptly when he noticed his best friend slumped forward in his chair with his head resting on the table.

Nils bolted to his side.

"Clem? Clem? Hey, you okay, buddy?" Nils asked, shaking Clem gently. Clem yelped and sat upright, breathing heavily.

"Dude…you look terrible…" Nils said. Clem was paler than usual and had dark circles under his eyes.

"Well, not everyone is blessed with the face of a model, Nils." Clem chuckled half heartedly. Nils smiled.

"What are you talking about, dude? You're featured in just as many magazine spreads as I am…though I gotta say…right now, you've really got a face for radio, my friend." Nils teased gently. Clem chuckled and raked his hands through his short brown hair.

Clem was as modest as ever. He had, indeed, as Nils said, gown up to have looks that earned him a page right beside Nils' in many magazines. Aside from his personality, a few aspects of his appearance remained the same as well.

He still wore the same style of sweatband that he wore back during his days at Whispering Rock and he was still tall, thin, and lanky. Though his front teeth were still noticeably a little big, it only added to the charm of his smile; which many a girl swooned over.

Nils put a hand on Clem's shoulder. Clem paused and looked up at him with tired vibrant royal blue eyes.

"Seriously though, dude…are you feelin' alright?" Nils asked with genuine concern. Clem let out a long sigh and laid his head back on the table.

"I'm alright. I'm just tired." He muttered.

"It doesn't seem like you've been getting much sleep lately." Nils said.

"Uh, yeah." Clem said with a tired shrug. "I guess these last two weeks have been kinda rough for me."

"Been burning the midnight oil, pal?" Nils asked, moving behind Clem to try to work some of the knots out of the brunette's shoulders.

"Only by an hour or so." Clem said, closing his eyes and relaxing under Nils' ministrations. Nils raised an eyebrow at his comrade.

"You've done worse than that and looked better." Nils said. Clem shrugged.

"It's not so much because of work that I haven't been getting enough sleep…" Clem said.

"Then what's got you so tuckered out?" Nils asked. Clem shrugged and sighed.

"I've just keep having these nightmares lately…" Clem said.

"Oh, I see…" Nils said understandingly. Clem was an A level empath; the second strongest degree of power; so he was very susceptible to being influenced by the emotions of people nearby; especially when he was tired or his guard was low. If the people around him felt negative emotions, Clem could be affected.

Being so strong in clairvoyance, Nils was also susceptible to outside influences on him while his guard was low or while he was asleep. He had to be very careful about where he stayed and what he kept in his room; because it was difficult to tell the history of an item or location…until you found yourself looking through the eyes of the former owner of the object while you slept and you woke up screaming because that pretty necklace on the nightstand…the one you had gotten at that quaint little pawn shop for your girlfriend…had belonged to a sweet, innocent young girl who, that night, was murdered in cold blood right before your very eyes.

So, yeah. Nils understood how Clem felt.

"So, what kind of nightmares are we talking about here?" Nils asked. Clem shrugged.

"I dunno…mostly just the kind where you wake up all wound up and you know you've just had a nightmare, but you can't even remember what it was about." Clem said.

"Only mostly those?" Nils inquired. Clem sighed.

"The other ones are about JT…" Clem said softly. Nils paused for a moment, his expression saddening. He soon resumed his work, moving up to work on Clem's neck.

"Yeah…I've had a couple of those too…courtesy of Chops." Nils said. A grim smirk tugged at his lips.

"I accidentally switched watches with Chops...he had a nightmare about the day it happened…so I saw the whole thing from his point of view. I felt what it was like for him…I felt first hand the pain of having to take down my friend…" Nils said softly. "Though I imagine it's not quite the same…Jt and I…you know, the lot of us were real tight…but Chops…Jt was Chop's _best friend…"_

Clem nodded sadly and dropped his gaze to the table.

"I miss the way things used to be…I miss the days when it was you, me, Chops, Jt, and Bobby all going out for a beer at the end of the day…" Clem said. Nils smiled slightly.

"Yeah, those were the days." Nils said.

"The five of us used to be such close friends…we used to hang out all the time! What happened to make us this way?" Clem asked. Nils scowled to himself.

"Lerio decided that Bobby would be a good henchman, so Bobby ditched us to join Lerio's little prick club…Jt tried to shoot the bastard…Lerio, I mean…though Bobby's a bastard too…" Nils muttered. This earned a chuckle from Clem.

"Anyway, so Jt tries to shoot Lerio, and whoop-dee-doo, for the first time in his life, he misses the shot…and then when Chops is ordered to go after Jt; for once in HIS life, HIS aim was a little too sharp! So he's torn from grief and under investigation to see if he was part of the plot to kill Lerio like his partner was, so he's lying low and making us worry where he is and whether or not he's alright; the big haired Canadian retard!" Nils ranted. "We're his friends and we care about JT too! We should be working through this together…"

Clem tensed and winced as Nils hands changed quickly from soothing to bruising with his mood.

"Dude…ow! Nils! Not so rough! Come on, man!" Clem yelped. Nils quickly dropped his hands.

"Damnit…sorry, Clem…I guess I got a little too worked up…" Nils said. Clem shrugged and chuckled. He stood and got behind Nils to rub HIS shoulders. Nils chuckled and grabbed Clem's hand to stop him.

"Naw, man. I've got Elka to do this for me every day after work, and she's a pro at it." Nils said, nudging Clem back to his chair. "Besides, you need it more than I do."

"You sure about that?" Clem teased. Nils rolled his eyes and elbowed Clem playfully.

"I'll ease up. I won't get all frustrated this time." Nils said, starting where he left off at Clem's neck. There was a long silence between them.

"They never found Jt's body…" Clem said quietly. Nils nodded grimly. "…That bothers me."

"Why?" Nils asked.

"What if he's still alive out there somewhere?" Clem asked hesitantly. "I mean…it's possible…isn't it?"

Nils paused for a moment and gave Clem's shoulders a brief squeeze.

"Nils?" Clem asked quietly, not looking at him.

"Yeah?" Nils asked.

"…you saw what happened…you saw it through Chop's eyes…" Clem began slowly.

"Yeah." Nils said.

"I've been dreading this…dreading to ask…I don't know if I should or not…but…I think I'd rather know the details than keep on wondering…" Clem said hesitantly.

"You want me to tell you what I saw." Nils said.

"If it's too painful, I understand…" Clem said softly. Nils was quiet for a long moment.

"It is pretty rough on me…" Nils began. "But if you want to know, Clem…I'll tell you. You deserve to know."

Clem thought about it for a long moment.

"I-I won't make you recount the whole thing…I don't think I'm ready to hear it…I just wanna know…about the shot Chops fired…" Clem said softly. Nils laid a hand on Clem's shoulder.

"He tripped as he was firing the shot, so instead of hitting his legs and immobilizing him like Chops meant to do, the shot was angled upward and hit him in the left side of his back; the vulnerable spot just between his left shoulder blade and his spine." Nils said softly.

"I-I…I know that…what I meant was…was it a clean shot?" Clem asked quietly.

"It was pretty much dead on, Clem. It was angled right at his heart." Nils said grimly.

"But isn't it possible that it lacked the strength to reach that far?" Clem asked. Nils paused and sighed softly.

"It was fatal hit, Clem; if you're trying to find grounds to hope that he's still alive." Nils mumbled, remorse and frustration apparent in his voice. "I-I'm sorry, but I won't lie to you. I don't want you to get your hopes up only to get let down. That'll hurt even more, Clem."

Clem nodded sadly, but understandingly. There was another long silence between them.

"Just tell me one more thing…" Clem said hesitantly. He swallowed thickly.

"W-was it painful?" Clem asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Did he hurt much, or was it quick…"

"You want to know if he suffered." Nils said. Clem nodded slowly. Nils squeezed Clem's shoulder and bowed his head.

"Y-yeah. He did." Nils said quietly. Clem took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Thanks for being honest." Clem said softly. Nils nodded. Another silence settled between the two.

"Did you hear about Maloof and Mikhail?" Clem asked, finally breaking the long silence.

"Yeah…I did." Nils said softly.

"They used to be such great guys." Clem said. "They were inseparable…I thought that they'd spend forever together…"

"Like Chops and Jt, right?" Nils asked, voicing the thought that Clem was keeping to himself. Clem nodded sadly.

"I-I can't believe that they killed each other."

Nils nodded.

"They both must have been through a lot for things to come to that." Nils said. Clem nodded.

"They suffered too, didn't they?" Clem stated quietly. Nil's eyes dropped. He drew a deep breath, gathering up the nerve to tell Clem what he needed to know.

"Yeah, Clem. They suffered a lot...probably more than we'll ever understand…but…you should know, Clem…" Nils began, leaning down to look Clem in the eyes. The two of them jumped when the door swung open.

"You two look awfully grim sitting alone in the dark like this…" Phoebe said as she entered the room with a tray of food. "What's the matter?"

"We were just talking about what happened to Maloof and Mikhail…" Clem said. He turned back to Nils.

"What were you saying that I should know, Nils?" Clem asked. Nils hesitated for a moment.

"You should know that they're in a better place now." Came Nil's quick recovery. Well, it _was_ true…

Clem nodded.

"Yeah. You're right, Nils." Clem said, laying his head back on the table thoughtfully. Phoebe approached Clem.

"Clem, baby…you don't look so good…" Phoebe said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You wanna talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Phoebe." Clem said innocently.

"Well then, here. Eat something. It might help." Phoebe said, setting the tray down in front of him. "10 years and you're still thin as a rail and it's making me sick."

Clem chuckled. He quickly straightened his posture as Crystal entered the room behind Phoebe. A light blush was already creeping onto his face.

"Clem? You're still in here working on the Vancouver case?" She asked. She scampered over to Clem, concern etched in her beautiful face.

Crystal had truly grown up splendidly. She was petite; standing a full head and neck shorter than Clem; and had developed the lean, graceful figure of a gymnast. She still kept her wavy brown hair (now falling to her shoulder blades) pulled up in a high ponytail, and she still constantly wore the same style of sweatband she wore during her days at Whispering Rock.

"Clem, I'm worried about you. You haven't been your usual self these past few days. You aren't getting sick, are you?" She asked, feeling his forehead. "You feel a little warm to me."

Clem blushed deeper.

"Clem, go home. I'll take your shift." Quentin said as he entered the room.

"But, Quentin…" Clem began.

"Nah-ah-ah! Clem, this is an intervention!" Quentin said, his tone lightly teasing. "Your friends are concerned about you. We won't let you be a workaholic any longer. You're going to go home and kick the habit before you become hopelessly addicted to your work and contract what is commonly known throughout the agency as "Sasha Nein Syndrome"."

Clem chuckled.

"Thanks, Quentin. I owe you one." Clem said.

"Crystal, you go home and take care of your man. I got you covered here." Phoebe said.

"Thanks, Phoebe. You're the best!" Crystal said, giving Phoebe a brief hug before turning her attention back to Clem.

"C'mon. Elka gave me some pills that should help you sleep better. She also gave me a new isolation band to block out any outside interference you might be getting that would affect your dreams." Crystal said, latching onto Clem's arm as he stood. He blushed even deeper.

"Aw, you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble on my account, Chris." Clem said, sincerely touched by his partner's concern.

"Nonsense, Clem. You're my partner and my best friend, so it was no trouble at all." Crystal said as she and Clem headed out the door. "Besides, I needed to see Elka to get a new isolation band for myself anyway; so I just went ahead and got the stuff you needed while I was there…"

"Those two are so head over heels for each other that it's sickening." Nils said.

"When's he going to just suck it up and propose to her already?!" Quentin chuckled.

"No time soon, I hope! If he gets engaged to her, there'll be no separating them! We'll never get to hang out and I'll be all alone! Bros before hoes, dude!" Nils said. Phoebe rolled her eyes and Quentin laughed.

"Speaking of bros, we haven't hung out in a long time, Quen, my man…" Nils said.

"What? Is his hoe getting in the way?" Phoebe asked, her hands on her hips in playful anger.

"Now, Phoebes…you know I didn't mean it like that…a lady of your caliber is far too fine to be labeled as a mere hoe…" Nils said smoothly. He paused when Phoebe raised an eyebrow at him.

"That came out wrong…" Nils said quickly.

"Yeah it did." Phoebe muttered, a playful smirk ghosting her lips. Quentin chuckled and patted her backside before giving her a quick kiss.

"Well, I've got to be at the radio station soon." Phoebe said.

"What? But we don't usually go on air until two hours from now, baby…" Quentin said, glancing at his watch.

"Usually; but Marci is going to be doing a live report from across town tonight, and I told her that I'd manage things at the radio station while she's out, remember?" Phoebe said.

"Oh, yeah! That's right! I remember now!" Quentin said. Phoebe smiled and kissed Quentin on the cheek.

"Do you think you could do me a big favor?" Phoebe asked.

"What do you need?" Quentin asked.

"I am freaking _dying_ for a hot fudge sundae right now, and I won't make it to the station in time if I stop to get one…" Phoebe said.

"I'll pick up these files and bring one down to you." Quentin said.

"Thanks, babe." Phoebe said. She and Quentin shared a quick kiss.

"Love ya." Phoebe said as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"Love you too, hon. See you in a bit." Quentin said.

"Kay. Bye!" Phoebe said, giving Quentin a small wave as she walked out of sight. Nils stayed and helped Quentin pick up Clem's files.

Nils put a hand to his stomach.

"Man…a sundae does sound really good right now…mind if I come with?" Nils asked.

"You got time?" Quentin asked.

"Yeah. I always come to work an hour early to catch Clem. I still got a half hour before my shift starts." Nils said.

"Then sure." Quentin said.

The two of them hopped into Quentin's car and were off. As soon as they were safely off of Psychonauts property, Nils spoke.

"Finally! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get you alone!" Nils sighed. A jolt of unease ran through Quentin. Nils knew something that he shouldn't.

His eyes darted to Nils and he unconsciously began to slow down and pull off the road.

"DUDE! EYES ON THE ROAD!" Nils yelped loudly. He reached over to steer them back onto the road. Startled by the outburst Quentin jerked the steering wheel, causing the car to spin out of control.

Luckily, it came safely to a halt in a grassy clearing a few yards away from the road. The two young men sat staring dead ahead, eyes wide and breathing heavily.

"Dude…" Nils breathed finally. "What is your PROBLEM?!"

Quentin seemed to be unable to find an answer. Finally, he sighed loudly and slumped forward to lay his head on the steering wheel. He was trembling slightly.

"Dude…I'm sorry bro…I don't know what's with me this week…" Quentin sighed. Nils reached over and patted Quentin on the back.

"Yeah, having a friend you thought had died seven years ago suddenly saunter back into your life will have that effect on ya." Nils said. Quentin sat bolt upright and stared at Nils.

"Dude, chill. It's okay. I'm with you. I've been helping Lili, Dogen, and Elka all week. They asked me to find you and tell you that Mikhail, Maloof, Benny, and Raz are all alive and recovering well and that Benny and I are officially part of the group now." Nils said. Quentin relaxed slightly.

"Oh, thank god…" He sighed. Burying his face in his hands. Nils recognized Quentin's odd breathing pattern as a calming exercise that Clem used when he was especially upset.

"You okay, man? I didn't mean to freak you out…I thought you'd be the last person that would freak out on me…it's not like you; especially since this is really not something you can let anyone on to…" Nils said awkwardly. Quentin let out a frustrated growl and gripped his hair.

"I know, bro…" He hissed before letting his head fall against the steering wheel. "I know…I'm just…really…you know…off…today for some reason…"

"Yeah…I've noticed. I'm no empath, but I'm definitely feeling some heavy panic mojo coming from you as of late…" Nils said.

"I don't know what has me so spooled up…I just keep getting the most horrible feeling that something bad is about to happen…" Quentin said. Nils paused for a moment.

"Hmm…weird…Clem is an empath too, and he's been wound pretty tight lately too…" Nils said.

"I wonder if it's just the two of us, or if Phoebe and Crystal feel it too…after all, they too are empaths…It's strange…It's been the most intense while I'm at work…" Quentin said. He sighed. "I'm sorry for freaking out on you, bro…are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've been in worse spin-outs than that in the field." Nils said. Quentin nodded and took a few more moments to compose himself before restarting the car. He chuckled nervously.

"Now I think I'm in need of a sundae as well." Quentin chuckled. Nils chuckled as well. He clapped his hand down on Quentin's shoulder.

"If you promise not to freak out on me like that again while I fill you in on this week's happenings, I'll buy." Nils said. Quentin chuckled.

"Deal."

TEHGREATDIVIDER

Fred was barely half way down the hall from where he'd left Edgar and Yolanda when one of the nurses came running up to him all in a tizzy.

"DOCTOR BONAPARTE! DOCTOR BONAPARTE!" She shrieked, nearly knocking them both to the ground when she was unable to stop fast enough.

"Heavens above, Vanessa! What's all the fuss about?" Fred asked as he helped the flustered brunette to her feet.

"It's Gerald! He's gone completely berserk! He's already knocked Darik into a wall and he won't calm down!" The woman cried. Fred cursed softly under his breath.

"Vanessa, I need you to call the police and an ambulance for Darik just in case, put out an order for all patients to stay clear of the area, and get Dillon and Anthony to meet me over there just in case I need backup." Fred said quickly.

"Right away, sir!" The woman cried before taking off down the hall. Fred raced away in the direction that the nurse had come from.

TEHGREATDIVIDER

It was either really late or really early. As he glanced at the clock, which read 2:14, he affirmed that early was the correct choice. His body felt heavy and sore; but with the feeling of a hot meal in his stomach and the feeling of warm, clean flannel pajamas brushing his just cleansed skin; it was a nice kind of feeling. It was the feeling he got after a long, hard days work; and now, he would have liked nothing more than to hop into bed and curl up beneath the crisp, clean sheets and get a good night's sleep.

In fact, he planned to do just that; just as soon as he checked in on his mentor. The man had sustained a minor injury to his arm during the mission earlier that night, and he wanted to reaffirm that the injury was indeed not a serious one before he turned in for the night.

As he made his way through the living quarters, he was somewhat surprised that his mentor was nowhere to be found. Surly, after a rough day like that, even HE must be ready to call it a night!

It wasn't of much consequence to him, however. He knew that if his mentor could not be found in the living quarters, he could always be found at his most common haunt.

He was unsure of why he opted to leave the warmth and comfort of the living quarters barefoot and in his pajamas and trek through the cold, hazardous forest simply to bid his mentor goodnight. Maybe it was just that he was too tired to think much of it; but soon, his feet had led him down the winding dirt paths until he reached the tall fence around the network of elevated metal domes.

Quietly and soft footed, like a tired child slipping into a parent's room in the middle of the night, he made his way up to the central dome. The feeling of the cool, sturdy, meshed metal beneath his feet made him feel more at ease than having to pad-foot around to avoid thorns, rocks, and sticks marring his bare feet. He childishly rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand as he approached the mouth of the main dome.

Not to his surprise, the door in the floor of the module was already open and white florescent light glowed up from below. He was, however, a bit surprised to hear two voices conversing from within the confines of the room below.

At first, he didn't think much of it. He discounted the second voice to perhaps belong to his mentor's partner. However, he realized that the aforementioned person had already gone to bed. As he got closer, he also realized that the second voice was distinctly an adult male. He had passed the only other adult males on the premises on his way over, so it couldn't have been either one of them. This second voice was unfamiliar.

"…and if we could take those skills and refine them…" The second voice said.

"No." His mentor said firmly. "I'm sorry, but no."

"B-but why!? Don't you see what we could do here?!" The second voice cried. "Do you have any idea what kind of scientific advances we could make by elaborating on these theories? Come on!"

"Listen…" His mentor sighed. "You are a brilliant man. Yes, these are some very promising opportunities. I have no doubt that amazing things could come of their further study…"

"Then why can't we do it?!" The second voice interrupted.

"Because this isn't right!" His mentor cried.

"Aw, come on! I thought you were supposed to be cool personified! Don't tell me that this gets you squeamish!" The second voice laughed. There was dead silence.

"Squeamish? You think it makes me squeamish." His mentor said flatly. "I don't get squeamish. This isn't a matter of people being squeamish. This is a matter of morality!"

"Morals are a matter of opinion; and I don't see it as wrong!" The second voice snapped.

"Then I must say that makes you a very sick man in my book, sir!" His mentor boomed. There was dead silence; then a soft sigh.

"Look. As I said, I believe you to be a brilliant man. I have a lot of respect for you as a scientist…but just listen to yourself! These theories…for Christ's sake…" His mentor's voice fell to almost a whisper. "They were started by…"

"Hitler?" The other voice asked, loudly, clearly and without any hint of unease. "The Nazis?"

"Yes, them!" His mentor hissed between clenched teeth. "You know how they worked…"

"Human testing." The other voice said clearly, again, without any sign of discomfort. His mentor gave an irate sigh.

"Listen to yourself! These theories come to be by the blood, death, and suffering of innocent people! Men, women, and children! Elderly and infants alike!" His mentor said.

"Yes, and by testing humans directly, more was accomplished in less time." The second voice said calmly. There was a shocked silence, then a chuckle.

"Come now; you're German!" The second voice laughed. Another tense silence overtook the room.

"Don't say that." His mentor said in a voice barely above a whisper. It rose quickly. "Don't you ever say that! Don't you dare stereotype me; especially when you think you can throw me in with that lot!"

"Woah, take it easy!" The second voice chuckled.

"No! I can not 'take it easy' after an insinuation like that!" His mentor said.

"Come on! I'm sorry, okay?! I didn't think it'd insult you…" The second voice said lazily.

"Didn't think it'd insult me?! Of course it insulted me very much! That was not okay; or have you forgotten that I live with a mentally unstable man, a handicapped man, a black woman, and a little gypsy boy!?" His mentor said, a tone of distress seeping into his voice.

"Alright! Alright! Okay! I'm sorry! Jesus Christ, you're sensitive!" The second voice muttered.

"WHAT!?" His mentor cried.

"Aw, god damnit! Jesus fucking Christ! What'd I say now?!" The second voice groaned.

"One, yes! It's a touchy subject because as a German, I really hate the stereotype, and two, don't use the Lord's name in vain!" His mentor growled.

"Shit…I thought you hard-ass Germans were all atheists…" The second voice said. His mentor let out a loud growl.

"No, not all Germans are atheist!" He cried.

"Oh god, you're not one of those friggin German kikes, are you?" the second voice asked. "Is that why you've got your panties all in a knot?"

"GAH! NO! I'm not Jewish, I am Christian; and don't call Jews by that name! And stop with the damn stereotypes!" His mentor fumed.

"Sheesh! Okay! I'm sorry!" The other voice said. There was another long silence.

"What? What are you looking at me like that for? What?" The other voice asked.

"You and I have very different views. I'm sorry, but I will not support your research." His mentor said calmly.

"Wha? Damn! I can't open my mouth without pissing you off, can I? Look, I really am sorry for offending you!" The second voice pleaded. There was dead silence yet again.

"What? You look like you've got something to say to me. Say it." the second voice said flatly.

"Y-you…you sound like one." His mentor said quietly.

"One what?" the second voice asked.

"One of them.' His mentor responded quietly.

"What? Oh! Nazis?" The second voice asked. A long, uncomfortable silence ensued.

"You know what, just forget about it. Please. I don't want to discuss this subject any further." His mentor said.

"You flinch every time I say Nazi. What? Is 'Nazi' the same as 'nigger' for you or what?" Asked the second voice. There was the distinctive sound of something falling to the ground.

"Don't ever say that word in front of me again." His mentor said in a dangerously soft tone.

"Oh yeah! Your partner! That's right. Sorry. No more 'n' word. Nazi is like the 'n' word for Germans. Got it." The second voice said. The room went quiet again.

"You're really hooked on this Nazi subject." The second voice said.

"Drop it." His mentor warned.

"Almost like you're in denial or something." The second voice said. Dead silence.

"I've had enough of you. I will not support your research. It's 2:30 in the morning. Get out of my lab." His mentor said in a frighteningly quiet and calm tone.

"Hitting a little to close to home, am I?" The second voice asked quietly. "Does your partner know?"

"Leave now or I will report you." His mentor hissed.

"How about the little boy? Does he know what guys like you do to his kind of people?" The second voice said smugly. "I do."

There was a final long silence.

"Get out." His mentor hissed. There was a soft chuckle and the sound of boots coming up the stairs. He felt as though fire were rising up from the floor as he came face to face with the red man. For a moment, the two stood frozen with their eyes locked.

Suddenly, a wave of ice cold water slammed into his back and he sat bolt upright in his bed.

He was breathing heavily. A bead of cold sweat ran down his face. He had no idea where he was.

"Raz?" A familiar, comforting voice inquired from just outside the door. There was a sound of soft footsteps on carpet and the door creaked open. He found himself looking into amber eyes.

She smiled at him.

"You're finally awake." She said. She walked in and sat on the bed beside him. She hugged him timidly.

"I'm glad." She said softly.

"W-where are we, Lili?" He asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"Nil's place. Maloof and Mikhail both woke up, so we had to move you. Everything's okay between them now. They're back together and they're both going to pull through." Lili assured him. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah." Raz said, his voice slightly shaky. "Yeah. It was just a bad dream."

"How long was I out?" Raz asked.

"Well, you've been in and out…and you've been pretty lucid. When's the last time you remember being awake?" Lili asked.

"Monday afternoon around 4, I guess." Raz said.

"Well it's 6 on Tuesday afternoon, so you've only been out for about a day." Lili said. "How do you feel?"

"Better." Raz said.

"But still not great." Lili added for him. Raz smiled slightly and nodded.

"You need another day or two of bed rest. Nils came by on his lunch break. He filled Quentin in on what's been going on with us and Quentin is going to be by here later to check up on you." Lili said.

"I need to get back into shape." Raz sighed. "Mentally and physically."

"I need to see my dad." Raz said softly. Lili put an arm around Raz.

"Dogen's still working on finding him. It's tough, but give Dogen about a month. He'll find your dad." Lili said. Raz smiled slightly and put his arm around Lili.

"Thanks, Lili." He said softly.

The two of them just laid back and relaxed on the bed for a little while.

"Dogen and I were talking about what we should do next." Lili said. Raz nodded thoughtfully.

"We've got this new lead about what we think may be the people behind Sasha's protection program for people in the rebellion who needed to disappear." Lili said. "Something about 'the blue angels' in Tibet."

Raz paused.

"Blue angels?" Raz asked. Lili nodded.

"Yeah. Have you heard of them?" Lili asked.

"I think so. You know…some of my memories are kind of jumbled…I think I remember hearing about people that call themselves the blue angels from an adult male who I was close to…someone I was around a lot…Maybe Ford or the coach or Sasha…that or it could have been from my dad…or someone from the circus…" Raz said, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples as he tried to recall more.

"I heard about them in the circus…I was under the big top…training just before sunrise…I had just recently suffered some kind of emotional hurt…yeah, it was definitely an adult male who was speaking…definitely someone I trust and someone I'm around a lot…" Raz said slowly.

"I think I may have been introduced to the blue angels before…whoever told me about them knew them personally…Whoever told me about them, the blue angels, and I all had something in common…" Raz jumped slightly. "And the person telling me about the blue angels…he was a psychic…but somehow…it was different with him…"

He sighed and let his arms fall into his lap.

"But I've had Sasha, Ford, and the Coach with me under the big top plenty of times and they're all psychic…my dad is psychic too…and any one of them would have been there for me if I was feeling down…I just can't make out if I knew this person from within the circus or outside it." Raz groaned.

Lili rubbed Raz's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll remember with time. Just don't try to force it." Lili said. Raz sighed and nodded.

"It's just kind of frustrating, is all." Raz said. "Sometimes, I'm not sure if I'm remembering things right…"

"What do you mean?" Lili asked.

"Like…like putting names to faces…and associating events that I remember with that person…" Raz said, leaning back and squeezing his eyes shut. Lili trailed her fingers up and down Raz's arm soothingly.

"I remember a redheaded boy who played turntables really well, but couldn't sing. When I think of him, I also think of fire, and for some odd reason, cotton candy and fish; angler fish in particular; and things stem out from fish to a whole new train of thought that just wrecks worse the more I try to think about it. I know it was Quentin who played the turntables, but the name Bobby and the number zero comes to mind." Raz said. Lili nodded.

"Bobby…he was not a nice person, was he?" Raz asked. Lili laughed.

"The association you have going kind of makes sense. You've rightly associated Quentin, the turntables, the bad singing, and fire together, since Quentin is now married to Phoebe, who used to be a major pyromaniac…Quentin's singing was unpleasant, but not nearly as unpleasant as Bobby was. Bobby was also a redhead like Quentin; but he had this crazy afro going that you once compared to a glob of cotton candy. Bobby did kinda have teeth like an angler fish; and he used to torture fish down by the pier." Lili said.

"Ah! I know who we're talking about now! Good lord, for some reason, I thought that guy was Elton…" Raz muttered. Lili laughed.

"No, Elton was the one…" Lili began.

"Who could talk to fish. Yeah, I got it now." Raz said.

"Well, you're going in the right direction, Raz. You seem to remember everything; it's just that your mind is still working out the right sequence and combination that everything goes in." Lili said. "It's like a puzzle. You have all the pieces; you just have to put them back together in the right order."

Raz nodded.

"Hey Lili…Did either Bobby or Quentin have an older brother…or maybe it could have been their father or a cousin or uncle or something…but did either of them have a male relative around Sasha's age who was a scientist and knew Sasha, but didn't get along with him…and…I don't know…maybe tried to or wanted to hurt me?" Raz asked hesitantly. Lili's eyebrows climbed up her forehead.

"No. Not that I can recall…and I'm pretty sure I'd remember something like that." Lili said. "why do you ask?"

"Just a weird dream I had…I wonder if maybe he was related to me…" Raz murmured.

"Did he hurt you?" Lili asked.

"I'm not sure…but I definitely get the feeling that he wanted to." Raz said. "All I can remember is red and fire…"

Lili stiffened. She stared long and hard at Raz.

"What is it?" Raz asked.

"A month or so before you disappeared, someone tried to burn down your gyspy caravan at the circus while you were asleep inside it. Apparently, you were looking after some of the younger gypsy children for the night while the adults all went out together. At about two in the morning, when you and four other children were asleep inside the caravan, someone barricaded the door. You and a little girl that you were sharing your bed with were woken up by noises outside. The last thing either of you reported remembering was a figure move in front of the window before you were drugged by a canister of powerful sleeping gas that was thrown through the window." Lili explained. Raz's eyes widened and he gasped.

"The red man…" He whispered. Lili nodded.

"That was the only thing that either of you could remember. You said you saw 'the red man' and then the next thing you remembered was waking up in the grass after you were pulled out of the burning caravan by one of the circus staff to find the circus in a tizzy as they tried to put out the fire." Lili said. "We never did get much of a description of the red man out of the two of you. Only that it was a man and that the color red was involved."

"So this guy was never caught?" Raz asked. Lili shook her head.

"No. We're sure he was after you, though. We're sure he was a psychic and that, since your guard was down since you were at home and still half asleep when the attack occurred, he reached into your mind and the mind of the little girl who was with you and warped the image that you saw of him to make you see something that would scare and/or confuse you; making it impossible for you to identify him." Lili said.

"Yeah…I remember the red man in the fire…" Raz said quietly.

"You and the little girl were convinced that it was the devil or some sort of demon." Lili said.

"I still am." Raz muttered.

_**To be continued…**_

Will Raz remember the Blue Angels? Who is the 'red man' who was harassing Sasha in Raz's dreams? Was he the same red man who tried to kill Raz in his sleep? What has caused Gerald to go berserk; and will Fred be able to get through to him and end his rampage before someone ends up hurt?

Gimme some time to write the next chapter and maybe you'll find out ;)

Oh, by the way, I've posted some fanart I drew of Fred, Boyd, Jt, and Chops the way I picture them to be during the course of this story on deviantart. The one I did of Fred and Boyd is called 'Psychonauts: shrink+sentry' and the one I did of Jt and Chops is 'Psychonauts: Cowboy+Canadian'. If you wanna check em out, look up my username: deserthaze.

Reviews are like Scooby-snacks for my brain 0.o….feed mah brain! Please review!


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